


Ignorance is a Curse

by Usagisama68



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Big Brother Twilight, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Hyrule (Linked Universe) Angst, Hyrule (Linked Universe) Needs a Hug, Hyrule (Linked Universe)-centric, Legend (Linked Universe) Angst, Legend (Linked Universe)-centric, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Mentions of Koholint, Panic Attacks, Soft Legend (Linked Universe)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Usagisama68/pseuds/Usagisama68
Summary: It was enough to make him wish he was back in his cave, hopelessly lonely but confident he knew everything he needed to survive. It turns out his ‘everything’ was actually ‘nothing’ in the wider world; but back then ignorance was a bliss, instead of the curse it is now.(When you have been alone your entire life, how do you rely on others?)
Relationships: Hyrule & Legend (Linked Universe)
Comments: 168
Kudos: 404





	1. Mask (Hyrule)

**Author's Note:**

> This was my attempt at a more serious take on Hyrule's obliviousness, which first popped into my head when writing _The cuccos and the courser bees_. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

Hyrule shielded his eyes against the mid-afternoon sun as their party finally left the shaded forest they had been travelling through for the past day and a half. Instead, miles of cultivated fields stretched before them, so vast they almost appeared to disappear into the horizon. 

He felt his breath catch in his chest as he gazed upon the unfamiliar scene before him. Farmland was present in his time, but they were simply small plots of land kept just outside villages to feed the local population. He’d never seen food production on this scale before! These fields could probably feed the entire population of his Hyrule twice over.

It would be so easy to feel envious or bitter about the lush lands his companions seemed to take for granted, but he squashed those feelings before they could take root. Just because his hardship seemed to be reflected in the barren lands that were his home, it doesn’t mean he had it any worse than the other heroes. 

Some scars are subtle.

Four and Time had a map laid out in front of them, trying to decide the best route to take from here. 

“This is your world, Four. What do you think?” Time asked the smallest hero, who had been frowning at the map and muttering to himself. 

“I haven’t been to this region much, so I don’t know a lot about it. But,” Four pointed in the direction of the fields. “I think there’s a town about an hours walk north from here.”

Hyrule threw his bag on the ground and settled on the grass, knowing that it might take a while before a decision is made. If he was alone, he would simply pick a direction and take his chances, but the other heroes seemed to prefer having a plan.

It’s not like he can read proper maps anyway, so planning was often more struggle than it was worth. 

“What’s taking so long?” Legend’s voice sounded from where he was leaning against a tree, shooting the pair a bored expression. “It’s going to be dark by the time you decide where we’re going. After so many adventures, you should at least be able to read a map by now.” 

_You should at least be able to read a map by now._

Hyrule turned away and ignored the spike of shame that shot through his chest. This wasn’t a new feeling.

He reached into his bag and rifled around for something to eat, determined to ignore his rapidly spiralling thoughts. This was one of the great things about constantly being in the others’ worlds; there was always some form of food to be found if you looked hard enough. He was also pretty sure Wild had an entire pantry in his slate, so there was never a fear of going hungry. Which also meant he didn’t have to worry about preserving meager rations on the road. 

Having found what he was looking for, Hyrule leaned back and closed his eyes, pointedly ignoring the argument that had broken out behind him.

It wasn’t until he was halfway through eating that he realised the others had all gone silent. Pushing himself up, Hyrule turned and was immediately pinned with eight pairs of eyes, each staring at him with varying degrees of confusion and horror. 

His stomach dropped.

The expressions on their faces were familiar. He had seen it far too often at the beginning of their journey, before he stopped asking questions and started keeping quiet.

A prickling heat began to crawl up his neck under the weight of their gazes. He quickly thought back to his recent actions, trying to identify what he’d done that could be considered wrong. The answer was probably many things, if he was being honest with himself.

Careful to keep his voice from wavering, he shot the others a confused smile. “What?” 

“What do you mean ‘what’?” Warriors spluttered, the first to regain his bearings. “What are you eating?!” 

Hyrule glanced down to the half-eaten vegetable, clutched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles had begun to turn white. He forced himself to relax. “Um, a potato?” 

“No, I mean- is that a _raw_ potato?” he tried again, as if the traveller hadn’t understood his initial question.

“I-” Hyrule began, “What else would it be? We haven’t had time to set up a campfire yet…” he fought back the urge to stare at the grass when the others responded with noises of disbelief.

A snort from his left drew his gaze to Wind, who was desperately trying to stifle giggles behind his hand. “You’re straight up eating that potato like it’s an apple! Doesn’t it taste bad?” 

“I mean, it’s not great but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s bad…?” He trailed off in a weak attempt to justify his actions.

It was apparently the wrong thing to say, as Wind burst into laughter. This seemed to trigger something in the group, as soon the others joined the youngest hero. Even Time seemed to be struggling to remain straight faced, the twitching of his lips giving him away. 

His own smile flickered at the edges, but remained in place.

The only one who wasn’t laughing along was Legend, who was for some reason frowning at him, a contemplative expression flashing across his face. Hyrule didn’t have time to wonder why, as Warriors' voice quickly broke him out of his thoughts.

“I wish we all had your ability to eat horrible food, ‘Rule. It would have made my time in the army so much easier!” 

He didn't understand, was it really that horrible? Compared to some things he'd been forced to eat, an uncooked potato was pretty normal. If anyone in his world stopped and set up a fire every time they wanted to eat on the road, they would be swarmed by monsters within days. It was inefficient, not to mention incredibly dangerous.

That was how you got killed.

“I bet you could even eat mud with a straight face!” He had. Starvation makes you desperate for anything to fill your stomach.

The others continued to speak, each comment like a sledgehammer hitting him with his own ignorance.

A few months ago he wouldn’t have given it a second thought. He probably would have laughed along, something as minor as cooking mistakes not even registering in his mind as something to be upset over. It was so trivial, really, and he could somewhat see the humour in it, in a detached sort of way. 

But now, after days and weeks and months of being laughed at, of being told (if unintentionally) that he had been wrong his entire life, it was all building up. Until even the smallest of comments struck hard and deep. Now, he couldn’t even eat without worrying about making some kind of mistake and having the failings of his upbringing highlighted for everyone to see.

Now he knew how different he was from the other heroes.

He just hadn’t realised it, at first. Everyone’s world was different, so the first few weeks of their journey was filled with questions and mistakes from all of their party. But after a while, these questions filtered off until he was the only one still confused. The only one still asking.

The only one who got laughed at daily for something as benign as eating a potato the wrong way.

Hyrule knew he wasn’t an idiot. He had been solving dungeon puzzles and outsmarting monsters since he was ten. He may not be wise like his Zeldas, but he wasn’t stupid either.

He knew it, but…

He _felt_ like an idiot sometimes. There was just _so much_ he didn’t know, things which the others considered such basic knowledge. Some things were just embarrassing, but others would surely cause the group’s opinion of him to shatter if they found out. Things which the others used as insults when joking around, remarks intended to be teasing but which hit too close to home.

_“Hey Wars, you’ve been staring at that sign for ages. Is it too difficult for you to read?”_

_“Geez, I’m not that dumb. I was just lost in thought.”_

Dumb’, ‘stupid’, ‘slow’; is that what they would think of him? He wanted to say no, that it wasn’t his fault he had no-one to teach him these things, but the part of him festering with _‘what if’_ was growing bigger with each passing day.

It fed into his humiliation and paranoia, overwhelming him on nights where it took all his effort to curl up in his bedroll and desperately muffle the sobs that threatened to escape him, to avoid the notice of whoever was on watch. Wondering why Hylia seemed to think he belonged with this group of heroes when he was obviously _so stupid-_

It was enough to make him wish he was back in his cave, hopelessly lonely but confident he knew everything he needed to survive. It turns out his ‘everything’ was actually ‘nothing’ in the wider world; but back then ignorance was a bliss, instead of the curse it is now.

It wasn’t even something he could attribute to differences between worlds, as he experienced the same feeling in his own Hyrule. 

The villagers looked at him and took in his scruffy tunic, his too thin appearance, his hair browned with dirt and skin covered in grime. They listened as he spoke in broken hylian, his vocabulary at the time about as advanced as a two year old. 

He’d been so proud he’d remembered as many words as he had. That joy came crumbling down when he saw the way they looked at him. 

The pity in their eyes that made his face burn and skin crawl before he could even place the emotion.

But no-one ever offered to help him. 

In this land plagued with death, where survivors huddled together in small settlements days apart from each other, you couldn’t afford to give charity to every lone traveller- _outsider_ -who happened to wander into town. Even if they were a child. After all, everyone was struggling to stay alive.

His Zeldas were different. They called him a hero and showed him a respect that was so foreign in his life up until then. He'd been happy, for a short time. But a dark part of him kept whispering that it was only because they had not been around him long enough.

He refused to wait until that horrible look of pity crossed their beautiful faces, as he knew it would. Everyone he had ever known had looked at him with that same dreaded expression, so why would they be any different? Why would anyone be different?

So he ran away. 

He left the castle and continued on his travels, never staying in one place long enough for anyone to form an opinion of him. At least with the monsters hunting for his blood he now had an actual excuse for never settling down.

Then he was swept up with eight other incarnations of the hero on a whole new adventure. 

One he couldn’t run away from.

There was never any ill intent in their teasing, but he wasn’t sure how much more he could handle. He knew it was only a matter of time before their amusement turned to pity and they realised he just couldn't match up to them.

So he stopped asking questions, despite the curiosity burning brightly in his mind. He watched everyone and mimicked them, always second guessing his actions to make sure they were in line with everyone else.

Most importantly, he made sure to force a smile and laugh along with the others, never letting them know anything was wrong. This was his problem, not theirs. He couldn’t burden them with something that was so clearly his fault. Besides, what kind of hero couldn’t even take a few (or a hundred) teasing remarks?

It was difficult and only delaying the inevitable; he couldn’t keep up this farce forever. But he was desperate to keep any respect these heroes, his friends, somehow had for him as long as possible; before he lost it entirely. 

Would they still want to be around him, once they knew how much he was lying to them? He couldn’t bear to think about it.

So when Wild confiscated the potato and told him you were supposed to cook them every time, he bit back a scream of frustration and nodded along, his usual smile stubbornly in place. 

Completely oblivious to a pair of concerned eyes following his every move.


	2. Splinter (Legend)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thinking back, Hyrule had been getting quieter for a few weeks now, although Legend was almost ashamed to admit he had only recently noticed anything was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who reviewed, bookmarked and kudosed this story! I wasn't expecting such a response and it has honestly filled me with so much joy and motivation to make this story the best I possibly can. I hope it can live up to everyone's expectations and lovely comments!
> 
> Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

In Legend’s opinion, this shop was a disgrace. 

It was dark and dingy, with most of its light coming from a small window hidden in the back that only served to highlight the amount of dust floating in the air around them. Rows of bottles lined age worn wooden shelves, each giving off a slight iridescent glow that sent tall shadows across grimy walls. The counter at the far end of the room wasn't any better, every inch of it stained with what likely amounted to years worth of potion spillages. He wrinkled his nose and made a mental note to avoid touching it at all costs. 

It was atmospheric, he’d give it that. If you were to ask him to describe what a back-alley potion shop looked like, it would probably have been something like this. Right down to the discrete, signless door tucked into the corner of a side-road that acted as the entrance.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out why this place was trying to keep a low profile, if the group of dubious looking potions sequestered in a corner was anything to go by. He wasn’t familiar enough with the laws of this world to judge, but he was pretty sure those weren’t entirely legal. 

The aging shopkeeper had not taken his gaze from them since they entered, his beady eyes reflecting a hardness gained from years of working within the dregs of society. It was rubbing him the wrong way, but Legend couldn’t really blame the man for his suspicion. Normal people would have walked past this shop without a second glance, not realising it was anything more than an old abandoned building. He could guess that its existence was passed through word of mouth by the more unsavoury members of the land, so any newcomers would be treated as suspicious until proven otherwise. Especially four men armed to the teeth.

The only reason they even found this place was due to Hyrule, who had made a beeline for the tattered door with only an excited “Let’s check this out” in explanation. He seemed so confused when Time asked him where they were being led, apparently not realising he was the only one who could sense whatever magic was emanating from the shop.

Legend had begrudgingly allowed himself to be dragged along with only minimal complaint, knowing that it was near impossible to stop their traveller when his curiosity was captured. Or rather, that’s what he’ll say if any of the others asked.

In truth, he just didn’t have the heart to deny Hyrule this wish, no matter how much he personally wanted to be clear of the place. When they first passed the alley, the younger hero’s entire face had lit up as he turned to Legend, eyes pleading to be allowed to investigate this mystery he had somehow sensed. 

A few weeks ago he probably would have resisted, saying that they didn’t have time to be running down back-alleys into potentially dangerous situations when they were just here to restock on supplies. But it had been so long since he had seen Hyrule so excited about something.

As it was, the bright smile he received when he agreed was almost enough to make this entire outing worth it, not that he would ever admit it to anyone.

He didn’t think the others had noticed anything wrong, but he had always paid closer attention to his successor than the rest of the group. Maybe that was why he had begun to notice how his laughter had become a rarer sound in the campsite or how his smile never quite seemed to reach his eyes anymore. Thinking back, Hyrule had been getting quieter for a few weeks now, although Legend was almost ashamed to admit he had only recently noticed anything was amiss. 

He had been keeping a close eye on the traveller since they entered Four’s world a few days ago, but he still couldn’t figure out the reason for this change. Hylia, it was so frustrating! Legend was on the verge of just walking up to the traveller and shaking answers out of him. But Hyrule didn’t seem to be too upset or affected, so confronting him outright might just escalate the situation. Especially if it involved some kind of secret he didn’t want the others to know; that was something he could at least sympathise with. 

Still, he was one frown away from swallowing all his pride and asking Twilight or Time for advice, since they seemed to have this whole mentor thing down to an artform. He really wasn’t cut out for it like they were, but damn Hylia if he wasn’t going to try.

So here he was, eyeing a bunch of odd looking purple potions as Hyrule flitted about the shop, the younger hero picking up bottles and animatedly explaining to Twilight the properties of each. Legend was pretty sure the wolf hero wasn’t that interested, but the look of fondness on his face as the traveller explained the difference in magic between a fireproof and heat elixir gave Legend the sneaking suspicion the wolf had an ulterior motive.

None of the potions were labelled, likely to disguise some of the more illicit elixirs, but Hyrule had mentioned before that every potion gives off a slight magical residue that hints at their properties. He seemed to be having a great time trying to figure each bottle out, so Legend resigned himself to putting up with this gloomy room for a few more minutes. 

Besides, they were running low on potions and this seemed like as good a place as any to stock up. Yeah, that’s why he was here.

Only Time and Twilight had been dragged along to this shop with them, as they’d split up with the rest of the group earlier to resupply more quickly. The oldest hero was on guard, eye flicking between the glaring shopkeeper and the group of suspect potions in the corner. It seemed like he wanted to leave as much as Legend did, but as he glanced to Hyrule his gaze softened and he held his tongue.

...maybe he wasn’t the only one who had been noticing something off with their resident survivor.

Behind the shopkeeper’s counter was a grimy wooden sign, listing a bunch of different elixirs and their price. Written underneath was a small message saying to speak to the owner about the prices of those not listed; it didn’t take a genius to figure out which of the potions it was referring to. 

Legend silently amused himself by trying to match each name on the list with the unlabelled bottle, while steadfastly ignoring the shopkeeper who was beginning to get on his last nerve. 

The grumbling old man’s gaze turned from suspicious to annoyed when it became obvious that only one of them was planning to buy anything. The grouch could at least pretend to have some semblance of professionalism. Even that freeloading rabbit had the decency to at least rip him off with a smile and a thank you. As it was, Legend was seconds away from telling this owner exactly where he could shove his bottles.

Time was sending him stern looks, which he took offense to. It’s not like he lacked complete control; even he knew it would be counterproductive to anger random shop owners, no matter how rude they were. To an extent, at least. 

“Um, excuse me?” Hyrule’s voice was soft, but it still carried across the near silent shop. “How much for this fireproof elixir?” He held up a glass bottle containing a bright crimson liquid, which was emitting an orange glow into the dim room. Legend silently pat himself on the back for guessing that one correctly. 

The man behind the counter shot Hyrule an irritated look and jerked his head towards the price listings behind him, one of which read ‘Fireproof Potion’ in bold letters. 

Legend felt a flash of irritation at this blunt rudeness, but that quickly gave way to concern when he caught Hyrule’s figure from the corner of his eye. 

The traveller had gone tense at the shopkeeper's action, clutching the potion closer to his chest as his eyes widened, gaze flickering up to the painted sign for a split second before lowering to the floor.

Legend took another look at the sign, but there was nothing unusual about it. Even the price was quite good, which was surprising as he was half expecting to get scammed in a place like this. 

Hyrule shifted and opened his mouth as if to say something, but stopped himself after sending a worried glance to the other three heroes in the room. The ambient glow of the potions sent an odd light over the whole scene, painting the young hero’s anxious expression into stark contrast.

Legend didn’t know what was going on, but he wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing. His fingers twitched with the urge to reach out to the traveller, but before he could that horrid shopkeeper spoke up again, having seemingly taken Hyrule’s lack of response as an insult. 

“What are you just standing there for?” he sneered. “Can’t you read or something? If you’re not going to buy anything then clear out of my shop! I’m busy.” The words were spat as an insult, but neither Legend nor the others were paying much attention to the old man anymore.

Instead, his eyes were drawn to the minute flinch that twitched through the traveler's entire body at the man’s words. Hyrule’s grip on the elixir was now so tight that Legend was worried it would shatter, but the younger hero didn’t seem to notice. For a brief second, their gazes crossed and he felt a knife twist in his gut as he recognised the fearful look in his eyes. 

Hyrule was panicking.

Legend noticed mirrored expressions of confusion on the others’ faces. Hyrule was one of the more gentle members of their group, difficult to anger and quick to forgive, but that didn’t make him a pushover by any means. On the contrary, the fact that he was able to maintain these qualities even after everything he's undoubtedly been through was something he and the others respected most about their travelling companion. He wouldn’t be intimidated by this rude shopkeeper unless there was something more going on. 

It was then that he noticed the slight flush on Hyrule’s face, though he had now turned away from the other three so it was difficult to see. His gaze kept flicking to the sign, looking almost ashamed, but at what Legend couldn’t gue-

Oh.  _ Oh. _

It felt as if puzzle pieces were finally shifting into place and Legend mentally kicked himself for not spotting the signs earlier. It was so obvious in hindsight, both from the travellers own actions and his history from before they met. 

He grew up alone, without anyone teach him what many of the other heroes would consider to be basic knowledge. From his offhand comments, it seemed like he had barely spent any time around other people at all.

Of course he was never taught how to read. 

A hot anger began to surge through his body as he turned to the shopkeeper, ready to lay into the bastard if he so much as breathed in their direction. 

How  _ dare  _ he make Hyrule feel ashamed of himself,

How  _ dare  _ he think for a single second that he was worth even a fraction of the Hero of Hyrule.

A firm hand clamped down on his shoulder, momentarily stifling the burning coals that had ignited in his chest. Time gave him a sad look and a small shake of his head, indicating to where Hyrule was still standing tense in the centre of the shop. 

The younger hero was steadfastly avoiding their eyes, knuckles white from his tight grip on the potion still clutched to his chest. Legend was half expecting him to bolt from the store, but instead he just took a deep breath and forced his grip on the bottle to relax, a small smile appearing on his lips as he turned to face the shopkeeper. 

“I’m sorry, but could you please tell me how much this potion costs?” If Legend hadn’t been looking for it, he never would have noticed the slight tremor in Hyrule’s voice or how his calm expression didn’t quite reach his eyes. Any evidence of his earlier panic had been masterfully erased as he interacted with this grumpy shop owner. 

The owner in question gave a long aggravated sigh and opened his mouth, no doubt to give another scathing remark, only to freeze when he was pinned by three heated glares. 

Apparently deciding he didn’t want to take his chances with three heavily armed men, the owner sourly muttered, “That one’s 30 rupees.”

Legend couldn’t help the curl of satisfaction in his stomach at the quiver of fear in the man’s voice.  _ Serves him right. _

Hyrule simply nodded and began hesitantly grabbing a bunch of different potions, showing none of the careful consideration that was present before. Legend shifted on the spot, itching to offer help but unsure if it would be appreciated right now as Hyrule seemed determined to forget that he and the other two were even in the room.

A sinking feeling of dread began to settle in Legend’s gut as he watched his friend artfully hide any sign of his upset. He knew from personal experience that this was a skill that could only be developed with practice. The ease at which the traveller managed to put on a mask was sending alarm bells through his head. 

Only it wasn’t perfect and the cracks were already forming. It was very difficult to keep up an act when you knew everyone else in the room could see right through you. So he watched as Hyrule’s motions became increasingly more erratic until he stopped entirely, desperate hands gripping the wooden surface of a shelf as his shoulders began to tremble, breath coming out in shaky gasps.

Screw it, there was no way he was just going to stand there and let Hyrule cry.

It only took three strides before he was close to enough to place a hesitant hand on his successor's shoulder. “...Hyrule?” 

Hyrule jerked and spun around, distressed eyes meeting his for a fraction of a second before the younger hero tore his gaze away. Legend quickly withdrew his hand and instead offered what he hoped was a comforting smile, but it felt awkward even to him. He really wasn’t good at this.

”I-” He racked his brain for something to say, “Do you want some help?”

That was apparently the wrong thing to ask, as Hyrule sucked in a sharp breath and spun around, pointedly grabbing a nearby potion to add to his growing pile. “Thanks for the offer, but I can at least shop for myself.” He gave Legend a wobbly smile, but he couldn’t hide the self-depreciating, bitter edge to his voice. The traveller seemed to realise this, as he stumbled over his next words in his rush to get them out. “I mean, this is- shopping is so simple, right? I can at least- I don’t need help with something like this.” He let out a shaky laugh. “So, um, I can do it. But thanks.”

Legend struggled to keep up his own smile as he listened, each word sending implications whirling around his mind. He forced them away and focussed on the present; on Hyrule, whose shaking only seemed to worsen the more he spoke.

What should he do?! How can he respond to that? Should he give Hyrule a hug? No, judging from the traveller’s reaction to his shoulder touching, that wasn’t a good idea. Maybe he should help anyway? But then would Hyrule think he didn’t trust him-

A gentle hand on his own shoulder jerked Legend out of his panicked thoughts. He instinctively looked up and locked eyes with Twilight, who was sending him an understanding but pointed look. With a start, he realised that his anxious thoughts were showing on his face and quickly smoothed his expression into a more neutral mask. It was too late though. Hyrule was staring at him with a mixture of worry and guilt that caused Legend’s insides to plummet. 

Was he just making things worse?

Twilight seemed to read his thoughts, as he gave Legend a reassuring smile before moving to stand beside the dsitressed traveller. He reached out and grabbed one of the elixirs Hyrule had lined out. 

“We know you’re more than capable, but the old man over there is always going on about teamwork and sharing the load, so to speak.” He jerked his head to where Time was probably watching everything unfold, but Legend was unable to tear his eyes away from the pair to look. “And he’s been glaring at me and Legend since we arrived. I’m pretty sure if we left everything to you we’d be chewed out later, which I want to avoid.” He finished by sending Hyrule a conspiratorial grin. “So it would be much appreciated if you would let us help a little.” 

Hyrule stared at Twilight for a few seconds, looking like he wanted to argue but unable to find justification. Eventually, he let out a small, hesitant nod, still not meeting anyone’s eyes.

The smile that spread across Twilight’s face seemed genuine now as he continued. “But you know, there’s a slight problem we need to address.” Hyrule immediately tensed up. “Both Legend and I have no idea what these different potions are. You’re the only one with that skill, which I’ve got to admit is mighty impressive. So how about you choose which potions we need to buy, I’ll sort them and Legend here can figure out the money. That way we’re all doing our bit and it’ll go a lot quicker.” 

Legend would never admit it, but his respect (and envy) for the wolf had just increased exponentially. His words were spoken slow and deliberate, the soft drawl that made up his accent somehow adding an extra warmth to his sentences. His body language was casual, as if nothing abnormal was occurring in the slightest. But Legend noticed how he did not look at Hyrule for more than a few seconds at a time, each action performed with the intent to take as much pressure off the young hero as possible.

Meanwhile, Legend was just standing there watching everything unfold. He shoved down a twinge of jealousy and focussed back on the present. Twilight mentioned that he spent a lot of time with the kids from his village, so maybe that’s why he was able to diffuse the situation so effortlessly.

Miraculously, his efforts seemed to have worked somewhat. Hyrule took another deep breath and smiled again, only it seemed a bit more genuine now despite the tinge of fear that still permeated his expression. His posture was still tense, but he was no longer holding the bottle in a death grip and when he placed it back on the shelf his hand wasn’t trembling so much.

“Okay.” It was spoken so quietly that it took a second to register that Hyrule had responded at all. But it was something, at least.

That didn’t bother Twilight though, who grinned and chirped. “Great! Well, the sooner we get started, the sooner we finish.” 

Legend belatedly realised he was supposed to respond as well. “Er, yeah.” Wait no, that wasn’t how he usually acted in these situations. “I mean, if you’re going to insist then fine. The sooner we leave this dump the better.” That sounded more like him.

Twilight stared at him with an exasperated look of  _ ‘at least you tried’  _ before turning back to Hyrule and beginning a story about a prank he once pulled on his village, in an obvious attempt to distract the still pale hero.

Situation now under control, Legend finally allowed himself the time to process everything that had just occurred. He almost wished he hadn’t, as the implications made his heart ache.

Hyrule being unable to read wasn’t that surprising, when you thought about his history. What sent Legend’s mind spinning was the fact that he had actively lied to them about it multiple times and been successful. From his reaction today, this was a cause of massive upset for him and yet somehow none of them had noticed anything was wrong. 

Hyrule’s acting was almost frighteningly good. Even today, Legend was willing to bet that the distress and upset in Hyrule’s actions reflected only a small fraction of what he was really feeling inside. 

He would have had Legend fooled by this charade, but he had seen otherwise. When their eyes met, in that split second of vulnerability before Hyrule turned away, he had seen a fraction of what lay beneath the surface of that carefully crafted facade. He had _ seen _ ...

If eyes were the window to the soul, then it was no wonder Hyrule was refusing to meet theirs. He couldn’t begin to unravel all of it, but one thing was for certain; the Hyrule they saw barely scratched the surface of what he was feeling underneath.

Something was seriously wrong with their traveller and they- _ he-  _ had not realised it until now. 

He quickly glanced to side, at Hyrule who was still hunched into himself and barely responding to Twilight’s attempts to make him laugh.

Why wouldn’t he tell them? Had they given him reason to not trust them? Did he think they would judge him? 

The mental image of Hyrule crying alone crept unbidden into his mind before he could stop it.

...had Legend failed him? 

_ Again. _

These thoughts swirled faster and faster around his head until he couldn’t tell one from the other. 

He was terrible with people, why did he think he could act like any kind of mentor? He should have noticed something sooner! Now Hyrule was hurting and  _ he didn’t know how to help hi- _

A nudge at his side forcefully tore him from his spiralling thoughts. Startled, he turned only to find Twilight leaning over his shoulder.

“I can see the gears turning in your head. Calm down.” The older hero whispered. Legend quickly glanced to Hyrule, but he was busy frowning between two potions and wasn’t paying them any attention. “We can talk about this later, but right now Hyrule needs us. Focus on that, we’ll figure out the rest later.” 

Before returning to his work, Twilight whispered one last thing into his ear. “Remember, you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Hyrule’s our family too.”

Legend took a deep breath and nodded, not trusting himself to speak. That’s right, he should focus on what he can do now to help. And that was adding up the cost of each of the potions now stacked in front of him. Okay, he could do that.

He turned to check the price board, only to choke back an incredulous laugh despite himself at the scene that greeted him. 

Time, who had been suspiciously quiet throughout this entire exchange, was leaning casually against the old counter at the back of the shop. In one hand he held the hilt of his biggoron's sword, the tip of the mighty weapon digging at least half an inch into the wooden countertop. With his other hand, he ran an old cloth back and forth along the surface of the already gleaming blade. But he wasn’t actually paying attention to his sword at all. Instead, Time’s one eye was glaring intently at a spot behind the counter, where a pale form was shaking in fear. 

Well, that explained why the shopkeeper hadn't bothered them since his initial comments that started this mess. A grateful smile threatened to cross his lips as Twilight’s words echoed through his head.  _ Family, huh.. _

Five minutes later, they were finally stepping out of the store and back onto the abandoned side street. Legend briefly closed his eyes and breathed in dust-free air for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. So much had happened since they first set foot inside the shop, but judging by the position of the sun it had barely been half an hour. 

It seemed the time spent sorting potions and the bright afternoon sun had allowed Hyrule to collect himself once again, any sign of his earlier distress now gone from his features. Except he still wasn’t looking them in the eye, standing with a restraint that suggested he was barely keeping himself from bolting down the alley.

A silence settled over the group, each second seeming more tense than the next. He could almost see the nervous energy building in Hyrule’s form once again the longer they all remained silent.

“So…” He began, wanting to break the tension but not actually knowing what to say next. “I- um, that is-” 

“I’m going back to the inn.” Hyrule interrupted, voice uncharacteristically stiff and leaving no room for argument as he turned away from the group.

“I’ll come with you!” Legend blurted out before he could stop himself, taking a step forward before freezing in his tracks as Hyrule spun around and jerked out his hand as if to stop him.

“...Thanks, but I can make it myself.” The smile he gave was so well practiced Legend almost believed it to be real.

“Are you su-”

“Yes! I mean, I can-” He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I know how to get there, it’s fine.”

Legend wanted to insist, to get an answer to the multitude of questions currently spinning around his head, but it was obvious Hyrule wanted to be alone for a while. Despite appearances, his successor was the most feral out of them in many ways. Confronting him now would be like cornering a wild animal, which might break any trust the younger hero has for him

So he bit his tongue and nodded, watching Hyrule’s retreating figure with a confusing mix of feelings. 

A tall figure moving to his side tore his gaze away from the alley entrance. Twilight gave him a saddend look, worry evident in every part of his features now that Hyrule wasn’t present to see. 

“We need to talk.”


	3. Fracture (Legend)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next were supposed to be one, but I realised that it would probably end up being over 10k if I didn't split them up. Oops? It does mean that the next chapter will be up much quicker, as it was planned right alongside this one. It will be Legend's pov as well, but after that we go back into Hyrule's perspective. 
> 
> Once again thank you so much to everyone who has left a comment, kudos or bookmarked this story! You've all been so lovely and reading everyone's thoughts has brought me so much joy these past few weeks. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

Nine pairs of footsteps echoed along a drenched forest path, mixing with the rhythmic _pitter patter_ of raindrops hitting the canopy above. They were currently traversing through Wild’s time, and Legend wasn’t sure how he managed to forget just how _wet_ this land was. Constantly. Miserable weather to reflect his miserable mood. 

Wild seemed entirely unbothered by the downpour and was happily leading the group to what he claimed was a nearby stable. ‘Nearby’ by Wild’s standards could mean they still had another few hours of trekking, so Legend wasn’t getting his hopes up for a warm bed just yet. 

Animated chatter drifted from the front of their procession as Wind grilled the champion on nearby landmarks or interesting stories from this era. Legend wasn’t sure if the boy was genuinely nonplussed by the rain or if he was simply trying to raise the mood of the group. Either way, he envied the kid’s enthusiasm. 

His own joints had been protesting since the rainfall began a few days ago, the chill seeping into old scars and carving a dull ache throughout his body. He wasn’t the only one struggling either. In front of him, Sky winced and rubbed his arm where Legend knew the faint pattern of lightning feathers marred his skin. A swell of sympathy rose in his chest; he knew that sting all too well. 

But the chosen hero seemed less focussed on his own pains and more concerned with the lone figure trudging silently apart from the rest of their group. 

And here was the main reason for his low mood. 

Because despite his grumbling, Legend actually quite liked Wild’s world. When it wasn’t wet and they weren’t being attacked by death machines or walking for fifteen hours straight, he could admit that this land was _breathtaking_. 

Legend was still a traveller at heart. He was an explorer who once sailed the ocean to visit new countries and unlock the world at his fingertips. He wasn’t as vocal about his love of travel as some other members of their group, but that didn’t stop the small thrill of excitement in his bones whenever he discovered somewhere new. Although he definitely preferred his travel done with the aid of a map. 

So there was something about this vast world, so much larger than his own ever was, which sparked a sense of anticipation in his chest.

But his reaction was nothing compared to Hyrule’s the first time they arrived in this land. There was a reason he was known as the traveller of their group and that reason was plain to see in the way his eyes had sparkled in wonder at the mountain top view they had landed by.

It was almost worrying how comfortable he had been in this broken, post-calamity world; far more than in any of their more populated lands. Hyrule seemed to come alive surrounded by the quiet of nature and lack of roads to follow; it had been him, not Wind, bugging Wild about every small thing they came across. In hindsight, it might have been the last time he had seen the traveller completely relaxed. 

It almost made up for the grey hairs he gained from the entire experience. The number of times Hyrule had disappeared from camp or wandered off the path to investigate some new mystery was uncountable and far more than in any other era. 

Warriors had teased him relentlessly about being a ‘mother cucco’ for days and, well, he could grudglingly admit there might be some truth to that statement. Maybe. He figured he was justified though, as even if Hyrule was more than capable of handling any monster that came in his way, he still often needed an escort to find his way back to the camp.

That had been a month ago. 

Now, as they once again found themselves travelling through this wild landscape, he almost _wished_ Hyrule would try to sneak off.

It turns out the alternative was much more worrying. 

It had been three days since they left Four’s world and five since they visited the potion shop. Five days since he had a proper conversation with the traveller. Five days since he’d even seen him smile. A proper smile, not the shallow forgery he gave the other members of their group. 

Five days since he, Twilight and Time gathered in a side-alley to discuss this very problem. 

_“We need to talk.”_

_The words broke through the silence that had been engulfing the alley since Hyrule left. Legend met Twilight’s eye and frowned at the odd sense of knowing behind his saddend expression._

_“You knew, didn’t you?!” He half growled, balling his hands into fists and approaching the taller hero. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier? How long have you known something was wrong with him?”_

_Twilight took a startled step backwards at his outburst, prompting Legend to try to reign his temper back in. Twilight wanted to help just as much as he did, yelling wouldn’t get them anywhere. It was his own fault for not noticing anything wrong sooner, for letting whatever this was go on for so long. He was frustrated with himself, not the others. But he stamped down the twinge in his chest and remained silent, waiting for Twilight to answer._

_“...I’ve suspected something was wrong for almost a month now. When I’m transformed, I can smell and sense things humans can’t. I don’t know how it works, but I think strong emotions can cause physical changes to the body. Panic, stress, sadness… I’m much more sensitive to these as Wolfie.” He shifted and looked down guiltily. “But it feels like an invasion of privacy, so I try not to act on what I find out…”_

_“Twilight told me a week ago.” Time interjected, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We were planning on asking you about it, since you’re closer to him than any of us.”_

_“Well I don’t know anything! I only just began thinking something was wrong, and then this_ _happens.” Legend gestured violently to the plain door of the shop. He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing in a much quieter tone. “There’s something more going on here. More than he’s showing us...” Fearful eyes flashed through his mind once more. “But I can’t figure out what!”_

_Time frowned at Legend’s self-depreciating tone. “I wouldn’t have even noticed anything if not for Twilight, so you have nothing to feel responsible for. Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried harder to hide this from you than the rest of us.”_

_“What? Why would he do that?” Did he not trust him after all…?_

_“Because he adores you. Haven’t you noticed how he’s always by your side?” He raised an eyebrow to give Legend a fond but slightly exasperated look. “He cares about your opinion. A lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if, out of all of us, he’s most scared about losing your respect over this”_

_Twilight leaned over so that only Legend could hear him whisper, “The same way I would feel about the Old Man.”_

A sudden rumble of thunder overhead made Legend’s entire body tense up, forcefully snapping him back to the present. He subconsciously jerked his hand out to the side to grab Hyrule, but was met with empty air. That’s right, he was walking alone today. Again.

He forced himself to relax with a deep breath, even as the next rumbling caused his fingertips to twitch. Wild wasn’t telling them to remove metal, so this wasn’t likely to become a lightning storm. Still, the mere possibility sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. He barely managed to stop himself from reaching out to the empty spot beside him again.

...when had he become so used to Hyrule’s presence by his side?

He couldn’t remember. At some point, Legend began to leave a space beside his bedroll at night and shift so there was always room next to him by the fire. Had begun to open up to Hyrule and confess things he would never tell the others, but felt wrong to hide from those earnest eyes, knowing he would never be judged.

And the traveller had responded in kind, or so he thought, about the state of his world and his life growing up. He was beginning to think he had only been told the very surface, a rose-tinted view of the land that was his home, but it was more than he was sure the others knew. 

Hylia, he missed him. He hadn’t realised how much he valued the traveller’s company until it was gone. 

Now, Hyrule was avoiding him. 

But he could handle that. It hurt, but he would give the traveller space, if that was what he needed.

Except he was just getting worse. 

Obviously worse, to the point where even those who were previously clueless had begun sending Hyrule concerned glances and worried frowns. Wind had pulled him aside earlier that day to ask if Hyrule was alright, but Legend hadn’t been able to answer him. What does he even say? He didn’t know much more than the rest of them. 

It seemed whatever control Hyrule had over his emotions was beginning to crack, now that he knew people were watching him. It was very difficult to maintain a mask when you knew others could see through it. Their attempts to talk to the traveller haven’t helped at all. In fact it was the opposite; Hyrule seemed to be getting more worked up and upset with each failed confrontation. 

As if just the act of them trying to help was causing a myriad of negative emotions in his successor.

A third rumbling, louder than those previous, pierced the silent group and caused Legend to involuntarily flinch. He was about to march to the front and demand to know when they would arrive at this stable when a movement to the side caught his eye. 

Hyrule looked away almost immediately, but Legend had definitely caught the glance sent his way. 

A sudden push at his back made him stumble forward, barely catching himself before he got a mouth full of mud.

“He’s been sending worried looks your way for the past few minutes.” Time’s voice murmured, low enough that no-one else could overhear. Legend’s glare fell short at the words, turning to stare uncertainty at Hyrule’s back. “Go.” This command was accompanied by another firm push in the traveller’s direction. 

“Okay, I’m going! You don’t need to manhandle me.” He grumbled, before marching determinedly over to where Hyrule was busy pretending he hadn't done anything.

Legend could pinpoint the exact moment his presence was noticed by the traveller from the sudden spike of tension in his shoulders. His steps faltered, thinking Hyrule would try to leave, but instead his successor slowed and allowed Legend to match his pace.

Well, he wasn’t trying to run away. This was already going a lot better than all his other attempts to talk. 

But now that he had cleared the first hurdle, he was faced with another problem. What does he say? He had been planning this conversation in his mind almost constantly since the incident, going over every phrase and possibility so compulsively it was a miracle he had gotten any sleep at all.

Now those memories were washing away with the rain until he couldn’t remember a single planned word. A slow panic gripped his heart. If he said the wrong thing now, would Hyrule give him another chance?

A light pressure against his arm broke him out of his thoughts. Hyrule had moved closer to him at some point, so that the brown sleeve of his tunic just barely brushed against Legend’s own. He was staring forward and not acknowledging this contact, but Legend allowed himself a small spark of hope. 

Maybe Hyrule had missed him as well?

They continued in silence for a while, broken only by the loud _squelch_ of their footfalls on the muddy path.

“Does it hurt?”

The hesitant words were nearly drowned by the strengthening wind, so it took a few seconds for him to realise Hyrule had spoken at all. 

“What?” He asked, half shocked that the other had initiated the conversation. The traveller’s gaze was focussed on his arm, which Legend belatedly realised he had been rubbing in an attempt to dull the ache pulsing through it. He quickly stopped. “What, this? It’s nothing I’m not used to.”

Hyrule was the only one of their group Legend had told about this problem, and also the only one he was willing to let help him deal with it. He always seemed to take this responsibility seriously, so Legend supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised by the misplaced guilt tainting the traveler's expression. Was that why he had been looking his way?

“Hey, don’t worry about it. My problems aren’t your responsibility.” He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “I can handle this just fine.”

“Still…” Hyrule bit his lip as if he was going to say something else, before gesturing to his arm again. “Can I?” 

Instead of answering, Legend simply held his arm out to the traveller, who gently grasped it between his hands. 

Their footfalls slowed as Hyrule closed his eyes, brow furrowing in concentration. 

A numbing warmth began to seep from Hyrule’s hands, travelling blissfully through his muscles before engulfing his joints in blessed relief. From his arm, the heat began to spread through his shoulders and down the rest of his body until he felt like he was submerged in the world’s most luxurious bubble bath. He barely held in a sigh of relieved contentment. 

Hyrule let out a pleased noise at his reaction, before removing his hands and stumbling on his next step. He caught himself, but Legend noticed how his gait seemed a bit more wobbly than it was before helping him. 

There was a reason Hyrule had never tried to numb all of his pain before now. 

He forcefully pushed down the part of him that wanted to berate Hyrule for overuse of his magic; he didn’t think it would go down well with the traveller in his current state. 

A sudden idea wormed itself into Legend’s mind as he stared absently at his now pain-free hand. A way to get his thoughts to Hyrule without pressuring or scaring him off. But could he...? Only two people knew this about him, and he wasn’t sure he could handle bringing up those past memories again.

A glance to the side revealed Hyrule’s increasingly nervous expression now that he’d accomplished what he had been wanting to do. If he didn’t say something now, he might lose this opportunity entirely. There wasn't really any other choice.

“Do you know why I get these...problems.” Try as he might, he couldn’t keep the quiver of hesitation out of his voice as his heart rate picked up speed, preparing himself for this coming conversation. He kept staring at his now soaked hand to avoid looking into Hyrule’s eyes, imagining the worry and confusion that would be reflected there. 

“No, you’ve never told me.” ‘ _And I never asked’_ was left unsaid, but now that he thought about it Hyrule never asked any of them about their pasts or personal issues. Not even once. Even Twilight, who respected boundaries the most out of them, couldn’t help his curiosity every once and a while. He filed that observation away for a later date, not wanting to be distracted. 

“Years ago, on one of my earlier adventures, I ended up on an island.” His thoughts whirled as his mouth began to speak on autopilot. “I...was happy. Really happy. It might have been the most happy I’d been since my uncle passed away. The people there didn’t even hesitate before accepting me as one of their own. I hadn’t really experienced that before, so it soon became a place where I could belong. A _home_ -”

His voice cracked as he broke off, blinking away the stinging in his eyes as memories of so long ago surfaced in his mind. Back then his worries had been so few and fleeting, drowned out by warm smiles and constant laughter. He had almost expected those blissful days to go on forever.

How naive he had been.

A sudden crash of thunder boomed overhead, startling him so badly that he physically jumped and reached out to the side again. Only this time, gentle hands squeezed his arm in silent support as he worked on slowing his racing heart. He hadn’t been able to handle storms well since _that time_ , but it was worse now that he was immersing himself in those very memories. Damn it, why did he have to choose now off all times to talk about it? 

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want t-”

“No! No I-” The rumbling storm was making his voice more frantic than he intended. “I _need_ to do this.” 

Then he realised; he _did_ need to do this. If he was feeling this conflicted, this nervous about sharing parts of his past with Hyrule, then what must the traveller be feeling? No wonder Hyrule was so reluctant to say anything about himself, if this was what it was like.

How could he expect Hyrule to confide in him if he wasn’t willing to do the same? 

So he steeled himself, glaring at the sky as if daring it to stop him. He only barely managed to keep the trembling out of his voice as he continued speaking. 

“There was a girl. The most beautiful girl you could ever meet. She was everything good about the world, everything pure. Everything I fight- _fought_ -to protect. I would listen to her sing for hours, if she let me.” Distant notes echoed through his mind even now. “I- I loved her. I didn’t realise what I found in her, until…” 

He trailed off, not knowing how to speak of this next part. His most closely guarded secret. 

He glanced to the side, heart aching even more at Hyrule’s earnest expression. His walls, which he spent years constructing to perfection, began crumbling to pieces the longer he stared at the younger hero; at his eyes, full of concern and completely lacking in any kind of judgement. It was _wrong_. He should be judged. He didn’t deserve that kind unconditional warmth. 

“I killed her!” He choked out, emotion crashing into him with a ferocity to rival the storm around them. “I killed all of them! The entire island is _gone_ because of me. Because I was too young and stupid to realise what I found there. I-” He was shaking now, body trembling with the effort to contain the sobs attempting to tear from his chest. A sudden peal of thunder across the sky made him jerk, threatening to unravel what frail hold he still had over his tears. 

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a shaky breath in. The hands on his arm tightened, a reassuring weight for him to focus on. He could do this. He _had_ to do this. 

“The island didn’t actually exist. It was all a dream, the people I met just figments of the Wind Fish’s imagination.” He paused, expecting questions about what a ‘Wind Fish’ was but was met with silence. So he continued. “But I woke up the Wind Fish and destroyed the dream, including everyone in it. Is it even killing if they never existed in the first place? I- I still don’t know. I’ve tried, but I just can’t think of anyone on that island as not being real.” 

How could he think otherwise, when every gentle touch or teasing remark had felt just as solid as the words he was speaking now? Dreams were supposed to be odd and abstract, something otherworldly that separated them from memories of a person’s waking hours. But Koholint didn’t feel like that. It never had. 

“I forgot about the dream when I woke up, but not for long. Once I began remembering what had happened, what _I’d_ done, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Aren’t heroes supposed to save people? How could anyone call me a hero after I’d wiped an entire land from existence?!” A desperation seeped into his voice, as if Hyrule could somehow give him an answer to this question that had burned through his mind for years. It was unfair to expect that though, so he continued before the traveller even had the chance to open his mouth. 

“I didn’t tell anyone about Koholint. I thought that it was my burden to bear, that I didn’t deserve anyone’s sympathy or _pity_ -” He spat the word out bitterly, not noticing when the younger hero’s eyes widened in response. “-for what I’d caused myself. Instead, I dedicated myself to the life of a ‘hero’. I thought that if I saved enough people, then maybe- just _maybe_ -it would make up for all the lives I had ended on that island. That _this_ was the reason I lived on while they were all gone.” 

A sympathetic ache seemed to pulse through his body at his next words, despite Hyrule’s magic still working at full effect. “I pushed myself hard. Far too hard. I didn’t allow myself to stop, to rest, to _heal_ because I thought- I thought this was my punishment for what I had caused. That I needed to spend my entire life atoning for my stupid mistakes. That I wasn’t _allowed_ to be happy. Not when they’re all-” 

He stopped walking, too overwhelmed with memories of self-hatred and desperation to focus on the path in front of him. Raindrops stung his face, masking the tears now flowing freely. At least the others wouldn’t be able to tell he was crying. 

He opened his mouth to continue, but a tight lump in his throat seemed to strangle any words before they could reach his tongue. He swallowed and tried again to no effect. Hylia, he was a mess. 

The comforting weight of Hyrule’s hands disappeared from his arm. He only had half a second to mourn their loss when the traveller reached out and grasped Legend’s hand in both of his. Startled, he automatically turned his gaze to the other’s face and was met with an expression of unfiltered concern. At least Hyrule seemed to have forgotten about his own worries for now. 

The traveller squeezed his hand in a way that momentarily chased away the chill that had been setting into his body. “What changed…?” It was the closest to a personal question he’d heard Hyrule ask, and the uncharacteristic boldness seemed to spread to him, shrinking whatever force was blocking his voice. 

He could do this. 

“I nearly died.” 

The words left his mouth in a rush before he had a chance to think. “I was pushing myself to my limit, then breaking that limit over and over again. Even when my body began to give out, I kept going. Until my body broke down completely at the worst possible time.” Memories of razor sharp claws and blood-curdling screeching flashed through his mind. The sudden shiver down his spine could almost be blamed on the wind.

“I was in the boss room of this dungeon I’d spent the last few days clearing out. Looking back, I could have defeated the monster no problem if I was in better shape. But by this point I was exhausted, hungry and could barely move without months worth of injuries and strain getting the better of me. I was _weak_. And the monster beat me.” A curl of shame filled his stomach at the admittance of his failure. 

He automatically tried to clench his hands into tight fists, but instead ended up squeezing Hyrule’s which were still clutched in his own. The traveller responded in kind, and when Legend met his eye he saw a deep sadness and fear reflected back at him. Fear? Why would Hyrule be scared?

“But you’re…” Hyrule paused, as if uncertain if he was allowed to dig deeper. “You’re still here. With-” _‘With us’ ‘With me’_. Legend never got to know what he had intended to say, because a sudden crash of thunder boomed across the darkening sky, causing the both of them to jump and stare upwards. 

_Is Wild certain this won’t turn into a lightning storm?_ He thought fearfully, gripping onto Hyrule tighter. 

“Yeah. For once Hylia seemed to be on my side, because by some miracle I had an item I could use to escape. But I _thought_ I was going to die. I would have, if not for my ‘hoarding’ tendencies, as Warriors puts it.” Hyrule at least managed a small smile at his poor attempt at humour. “And- I- It’s true what they say, about your life flashing before your eyes. At least, it was for me.” 

It was surreal, to think about that time. He had been so sure of his coming demise, and for a few terrible seconds he had accepted his fate. Until-

“I remembered everything, as if I was back on that island. All those people who cared for me and wanted me to be happy, how would they feel to know I was losing myself like this? What I was doing, pushing myself to breaking point, was for my own selfish benefit. So that I would feel better about myself. It was never about them or what they would have wanted. And if I died-” His voice broke again but he ignored the tears and kept going. “-if I died who would remember them? Remember _her_? If I were gone, it would be like they had never existed.” 

Just the thought of the world losing any memory of her laugh, of her _song_ , sent waves of sorrow through his form. He would never make that mistake again. 

“I remembered all this at once, and I knew that I couldn’t let this monster erase their existence. So I fought, with the last of my strength, and somehow managed to escape.” If he had been even half a second slower it would have all been over. “And then-”

“I’m glad.” Hyrue looked startled by his own interruption, as if he hadn’t intended to say anything. Then he pressed his lips into a determined line and turned to face Legend fully. “I’m glad you escaped. You’re worth more than just their memories. I can’t even imagine going on this adventure without you…” 

A sudden warmth bloomed in his chest, chasing out the incessant chill that had settled into his skin. Was Hyrule casting some more of his healing magic without Legend realising? 

“But I- I don’t understand.” The traveller hesitantly untangled his hands from Legend’s and turned away again. “Why are you telling me all this? It seems like a big deal...” 

Why _was_ he telling Hyrule this? He’d forgotten at some point during the rising maelstrom of his emotions that he had started all this with a purpose in mind. 

“Because I’m better now. I’m not perfect, and speaking of it like this is honestly more difficult than I expected, but I’m _better_.” It was true, despite how his mind sometimes told him otherwise. “But the only reason I was able to get this far was-” Goddess he was going to sound so cheesy. “-because I had people willing to help me through it.” 

Shocked echoes of _‘Mr Hero?!’_ rang in his mind, bringing a tired smile to his face. He really would have been lost without those two, huh?

“After I escaped that dungeon I was a complete mess; physically and mentally. Ravio had taken over my house-again-so he witnessed the entire thing. I must have shocked the life out of him, stumbling in half-dead and in floods of panic.” His smile turned fond, but for once he didn’t have the strength to hide it. “I half expected him to charge me for his help, but he didn’t. He- I still don’t know why, but he took care of me.”

He had expected pity, scorn or anger from anyone who knew what he had done. How many sleepless nights had he spent imagining every negative reaction he knew he would get if anyone found out? He hated himself, so of course everyone else would as well. At least, that’s what he thought. 

But Ravio had never pitied him, had never treated him as anything less than a friend. It was the same unconditional care he could now see burning in Hyrule’s eyes; one that he knew had been reflected in his own expression these past few days. Ravio had stayed beside him and listened to him as he choked out every regret and hated thought he ever had over the course of his many adventures.

When it was over and he had left himself exhausted, the merchant helped him pick up the pieces of his shattered self. He even closed down his shop for a few days, which was probably the biggest indicator of just how worried his friend had been.

“Eventually he convinced me to talk to my sist- my zelda about it as well. It was honestly the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but it was worth it in the end. They both made it worth it.” And she had barely teased him for that entire exchange, which was nice of her. 

“What I’m trying to say is that I kept everything to myself and I- I broke. I’m only healing now because I have others to support me and remind me of what truly matters every time my thoughts go back to that dark place. Being alone, keeping everything inside, not letting anyone help...it’s horrible and isolating and I- I don’t want you to shatter like I did. You’re so-” He paused for a second to gather his nerves. If Warriors heard him say all this he’d never hear the end of it. “-so important to me. I couldn’t bear it if I let you make the same mistakes I did. This lingering pain in my body is a reminder for me to never walk down that path again.” 

He looked up at Hyrule for the first time in what felt like ages, but wasn’t expecting the conflicted and desperate look he was given in return. 

“I-” Hyrule began, his voice so quiet Legend had to strain to hear it over the pounding of the rain. “I wish- I _want_ to tell you. I do, you have no idea but-” He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, but he still couldn’t seem to get his words across. “I can’t I- How do you do it? I don’t understand. I’ve never...” He bit his lip as if physically stopping himself from speaking further. 

A slow realisation began to spread through Legend’s body like ice as the traveller kept stumbling over his words. No. _No_ , surely even Hylia wouldn’t be so cruel to one of her chosen. 

“Hyrule…” He began, causing the traveller to pause in his mumbling and stare at him with distressed but confused eyes. “Have you ever had anyone you could speak to before? Anyone to rely on?” _Were you always utterly alone?_

Hyrule stared at him for several long seconds before lowering his head and averting his eyes. It was all the confirmation he needed.

A fierce and overwhelming rage gripped his chest as the deafening _boom_ of thunder tore across the sky. He couldn’t care less about the weather now. How _dare_ they?! How _dare_ Hylia allow this to happen. How _dare_ the goddesses abandon their world, their timeline, when they needed them most. How _dare_ the people of that forsaken land treat Hyrule in such a way.

How _dare_ -no. No, he couldn’t let anger overtake him now. Later, when he’s alone and out of earshot of everyone else, he can scream himself hoarse to the heavens and curse whatever cruel deity must be laughing down at them. Now, he needed to remain calm and level headed.

Even though he knew about the state of Hyrule’s world, about it’s sparse population and his lack of family, he had never stopped to think what it actually meant. He thought that Hyrule at least had a few friends or knew some people who could help him when needed, even if he didn’t live around people permanently. The thought that he had _no-one_ was just…

It was heartbreaking. 

_Was it my fault?_

The thought wormed its way into his head before he could stop it. It was true though, wasn’t it? He came before Hyrule. He was the ‘Hero of Legend’ to the traveller’s world, but how could that be when he had so obviously failed? He didn’t know how many centuries came between his death and the other’s birth, but it was enough for the kingdom and people he fought to protect to fall into ruin. 

Did he not fight hard enough? Did he miss something on his many quests; something which could have caused such a downfall? It was his job to protect the future of Hyrule but- 

His gaze was guiltily drawn towards the hunched form of his successor.

-in the end it turns out he couldn’t protect what mattered most. 

He really was a fai- _no._ He wouldn’t let his thoughts travel down that road again. Hadn’t he just told Hyrule about how much better he was doing? Besides, this wasn’t about him. He could wallow in self-pity later. 

This revelation did explain a lot about Hyrule’s actions these past few days. It’s no wonder the traveller was so resistant to telling them anything or lowering his walls.

This might be the first time he’s been in a position where those are even an _option_. 

It was hard enough for Legend, who at least had his uncle when growing up to set a precedence for relying on someone. But to Hyrule, this must seem like zero to one hundred with nothing in between. 

With no memories of warm acceptance to help him take that risk. 

No wonder he kept running away from them. No wonder he seemed worse off every time they tried to confront him. Goddess, he couldn’t even imagine how overwhelming it all must be.

Despite this, a part of him couldn't help but swell with pride at the sheer amount of strength Hyrule has. Doing everything he's done and doing it completely alone? It's a sad thought, but the mental fortitude and emotional resilience needed to accomplish such feats is staggering. He doubted he would have been able to do it himself. 

His successor is so used to being alone that he has no idea how to rely on others. It's ironic that the same iron will that allowed him to survive in such an environment had now turned into their biggest obstacle.

So they needed to change tactics. The only thing he could think of would be to slowly let Hyrule get used to the idea of confiding in others, of trusting in them in a way he’s probably never had to before. But how long would that take?

He glanced once more to the traveller shivering in the cold rain, heart clenching as he realised a worrying truth: they might not have that long. 

He can already see the cracks worming their way through his hunched form, becoming more exaggerated with each passing day. Until all it would take is one small, insignificant nudge for those cracks to fall apart and shatter completely. 

In an ideal world, they would carefully and painstakingly fill in those cracks over time before they had the chance to become anything more damaging. He doubted they would be allowed that option.

This is not an ideal world and Hylia is not kind. 

So they couldn’t push him for answers, but if they left him be Hyrule would certainly crumble. What can they do?!

A low whine startled Legend out of his thoughts. Wolfie sat in front of them, ears drooping and eyes shimmering with concern. His fur was soaked through and dripping from the storm; Legend couldn’t help but make comparisons with a lost puppy he once found on his journey. How much had Twilight heard of their conversation? 

“Wolfie!” Hyrule exclaimed, bending down to scratch behind the wolf’s ear. “Did you come looking for us boy?”

Come to think of it, where were the others? He spun in a circle but couldn’t find any sign of the other heroes through the downpour. How long had he and Hyrule been talking out here in the rain? Apparently long enough for Twilight to get concerned and go searching for them.

Wolfie let out a _yip_ and began nudging Hyrule’s face with his nose, startling a quiet laugh out of the traveller. It was short lived, but he hadn’t heard the sound since- 

Wait. This could work.

He crouched down on Wolfie’s other side, ignoring the sudden chill as his bare knees were submerged in the cold puddles littering the ground. He ran his fingers through the wolf's damp fur, using the distraction to calm his nerves. For once Wolfie didn’t growl at him to stop. 

“I didn’t tell you all this expecting anything in return.” He ignored how Hyrule froze at his words, any relief from Wolfie’s appearance now evaporated. “I think I see now why that might be impossible for you. But...” He trailed off and turned to face the traveller once more. 

Without giving himself the chance to think or second guess his actions, he reached over and wrapped his arms around Hyrule's smaller frame. The traveller tensed up but didn’t try to get away, so Legend squeezed a little tighter and murmured in his ear. “Just know that I’m here for you. We’re all here for you. If- _when_ -you feel able to tell us more. None of us will judge you for anything, I promise.”

He let go, watching as a maelstrom of emotions flashed lightning quick across Hyrule’s expression. “I-I’m sorry, but I need to be alone for a while. The others are just ahead, right?” Hyrule whispered, stumbling in his rush to back away from where Legend and Wolfie remained crouched on the floor. 

After a few meters his footsteps faltered to a stop. “Thank you.” Legend could barely make out the words through the soft rumbling of the sky. The tiny, but genuine, smile just barely visible on his face sent a thread of warmth through Legend's heart.

“Hey, Twi? If Hyrule takes a watch tonight, could Wolfie keep him company?” He asked as soon as Hyrule was out of earshot. Wolfie let out a low whine, questions evident in his eyes. “It’s a lot easier to talk to animals than people. He might be willing to open up a bit more if it’s just you.” 

Twilight stared him in the eyes for a few more moments, but must have found what he was looking for as the wolf gave a low nod in response.

He didn't say anything in response, simply standing in the freezing rain and watching as their traveller became obscured by the growing storm and faded from sight.


	4. Shatter (Legend)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has commented, bookmarked or kudosed this story! It makes me so incredibly happy to hear that people are enjoying my writing. 
> 
> **Trigger warning** for descriptions of a panic attack from an onlookers perspective. 
> 
> If you wish to skip that part, stop reading when you see ' _CRASH!'_ and continue from 'Five more minutes passed before Hyrule seemed to have calmed down enough' (just over halfway down).
> 
> (I will also put a summary in the end notes in case anyone wishes to skip this chapter completely)

Legend wasn’t sure which he hated more: rain or the cold. He glared at a fallen leaf which had the nerve to settle mere inches from his head, as if the heat from his gaze alone could melt the delicate tendrils of frost that had been creeping across its surface. 

The flickering remains of their fire cast little light over the clearing and even less warmth, though Legend had laid his bedroll down too far away to get much comfort from the flames even when they had burned brightest. 

On cold nights like this he would usually seize the spot closest to the fire, greedily taking in any heat he could find; whether it be from the burning logs or a body tucked close to his. Anything to chase away the bitter ache that pulsated throughout his body whenever temperatures became frigid and harsh.

He had not been lying to Hyrule when he said this pain was a reminder of his past mistakes, but that didn’t mean he was willing to suffer more than he had to. 

A glacial wind swept unrelenting throughout their haphazard camp, biting sharpy at his skin, mocking his current predicament. He shivered and wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders, as if that could block out the seeping chill that had already wormed its way deep into his skin.

The temptation to curl up next to the dying embers was overwhelming, but the soft echo of a voice across the camp reminded him of why he had chosen this isolated spot in the first place. 

Hyrule was talking to Wolfie. 

Legend resigned himself to another sleepless night. Ever since his stormy conversation with Hyrule, his sleeping hours had been plagued with vague nightmares and obscure dreams; the type that left you with a confused melancholy upon waking. He wasn’t sure which were fading memories and which were fleeting figments of his own imagination, but it must be a consequence of him digging up the shadows of his past so suddenly.

This, combined with an ever present and deepening worry, meant that he was lucky to steal even a few hours of sleep each night. Which turned out to be a massive problem when he was trying his hardest not to eavesdrop. 

To Legend’s immense relief, Hyrule seemed to have taken his previous words to heart.

It had been just over a week since that painful conversation, and Hyrule had miraculously volunteered for a watch the very same night. So had Legend; he didn’t think either of them had been willing to subject themselves to the threat of nightmares so soon after that ordeal.

That first evening he had made the unfortunate mistake of laying his bedroll too close to the firepit, where those on watch often sat. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but he soon realised that if Hyrule did decide to confide in their resident wolf then he would be able to hear every word, no matter how whispered they were.

It would have felt like an immense breach in trust and privacy, even if it was accidental. 

The Goddess must have been feeling merciful for once, as that entire watch was accompanied only by the gentle sounds of fingers running through fur and the old man’s incessant snoring.

Though it might not have been a coincidence, as he was almost certain Hyrule knew he had been awake and within earshot.

The next time Hyrule volunteered for a shift, Legend decided to settle down as far away from the fire as possible, determined to give the traveller his privacy even if he had to sacrifice his own comfort to do so.

Whether it was this change or something else, that night the indistinct murmur of a voice and occasional whine of a dog broke through the still night air. 

So now, Legend made sure to sleep where he would not accidentally overhear anything he was not supposed to. The other’s gave him odd looks at this sudden change, but thankfully no-one had commented on it.

It was not so bad, since the mild temperatures of springtime in Wild’s land negated the need to be close to a fire at all times.

He really should not have been surprised when he was tossed out of the next portal, only to feel the frigid bite of a winter chill on his skin. By this point, he wasn’t sure if it was his luck or Hylia herself against him. Probably both. 

Hyrule seemed to be doing a bit better, at least on the surface. He’d come to the tough conclusion that even if the traveller was deteriorating, they might not notice it until too late.

After the sad revelation during their previous conversation, he had asked both Twilight and Time to stop trying to confront the traveller about what might be wrong.

Trying to get Hyrule to confess to them at this point would be nearly impossible, no matter how hopeless it made him feel.

Unfortunately, this seemed to have given his successor enough time to reconstruct crumbled pieces of the mask he wore so skillfully around others.

It was fooling most of their group, but Legend wasn’t so hopeful. Twilight’s expression seemed to become more worried and heartbroken as the week progressed, though he would never reveal anything Hyrule confessed on those nights alone.

Still, the unease enveloping Legend’s mind spiked with every concerned glance the wolf sent the traveller’s way. 

He was brought out of his troubled thoughts by a faint wolfish whine, louder than those previous, echoing ominously throughout their hushed campsite.

His chest constricted as he realised that mumbling which had accompanied his internal musings was gone, replaced with the sounds of muffled sobbing just barely noticeable from where he was laying. 

He experienced the almost unbearable sensation of his heart being squeezed mercilessly, but he bit his lip and forced his gaze back to the single frosted leaf. His involvement now would just make things worse, especially since this might be the most open Hyrule’s been with his emotions around any of them. 

So he grit his teeth and remained put, simply listening as the weeping was broken only by hesitant mumbling and the whimpering of a dog.

Time seemed to trickle by like an hourglass in his mind, slow and frustrating as he waited for that last grain of sand to drop.

Despite everything, Legend could feel his eyelids beginning to droop heavily as his thoughts flickered sluggishly between the hazy border of sleep and wakefulness.

Another wind brushed through the camp, ruffling his hair and blowing his leaf upwards and out of sight. Maybe he should try to speak to Twilight in the morn-

**_CRASH!_ **

The deafening sound pierced the still night air like a bomb blast. Legend shot to his feet in seconds, sword drawn and muscles tensed for a battle before he even had the chance to think. Frantic movement around him indicated that the others had sprung up as well, broken from their slumber by the sudden cacophony of noise. 

Heart racing in his chest, he spun on his heel to face the source of the disturbance, only to freeze at the sight that greeted him.

A very _human_ Twilight stood half illuminated at the centre of the campsite. The dying embers of the fire cast his features into stark contrast, reflecting off the tear tracks painting his stricken expression as he stared at a figure lying prone on the ground.

Hyrule was laying splayed out on the grass, the cooking pot and all manner of implements knocked haphazardly onto the forest floor around him. His distressed eyes locked onto Twilight with a frightened look of disbelief and betrayal, seemingly unaware of the increasing chaos around him.

For a few seconds this scene was frozen in time, before the traveller seemed to come back to reality. Slowly, as if afraid of what he might see, Hyrule turned his gaze to the rest of the campsite.

The others stared back with varying degrees of bemusement and concern; the latter painted blatantly on his own expression. 

This silence persisted for only a moment before an awkward chuckle echoed throughout the camp. “Well that certainly kept me on my toes! I nearly jumped out of...” Warrior’s trailed off as his gaze fully took in Hyrule’s appearance, expression switching from mirth to worry. “...’Rule?” 

Their traveller didn’t respond. 

Instead, he squeezed his eyes shut and curled into himself, wrapping both arms around his middle as if physically trying to hold himself together.

The action caused his face to catch the dimming firelight, flickering embers reflecting off newly dried tear tracks barely noticeable against his rapidly paling skin. 

“Hyrule I-” Twilight stepped forward, a look of such heartbreak painted onto his expression that Legend felt something catch in his own chest. _What happened?_ “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to deceive you, we just wanted to hel- Hyrule?” 

Twilight’s words may as well have been made of smoke for all that they seemed to register with his successor. His head shook vaguely from side to side as he muttered what sounded like desperate pleas under his breath. 

“Calm d...they’ll...stupid...don’t give i...hold…the others don’t kn...” The growing tension in his body spiked with each whispered word, fisted hands clenching and unclenching the edge of his green tunic like a lifeline. 

Legend ignored the frantic beating of his pulse as he warily crept towards the traveller, hands hovering inches away from his distressed form. This close, he could see small tremors wracking their way through his entire frame, becoming more pronounced as the seconds wore on.

Shaky breaths passed unevenly between his whispers, which were growing increasingly frantic with each terrified syllable. He did not seem to notice Legend’s presence by his side at all.

His successor was tense and jittery as if he was expecting a fight, thrumming with barely contained energy yet seemingly chained to the ground with an unyielding invisible force.

In an instant, his hands jerked from his middle to clamp tightly over his mouth just in time to muffle a distraught keen and harsh sob that tore themselves from his chest. More soon followed as Hyrule buried his face in his knees, breathing harsh and barely controlled.

Unable to take any more, Legend allowed his own shaky hand to close the distance between them until it lightly brushed against his successor's shoulder.

The last frayed thread of whatever control their traveller was maintaining over himself snapped. 

Hyrule jerked back from his touch as if burned, a sound like a wounded animal tearing from his throat as frantic eyes darted wildly around the campsite. He immediately scrambled to back away upon seeing their shadowed outlines surrounding him in the dwindling firelight, curling in on himself even more as if expecting a sudden blow.

Legend swore and retreated a few steps, but the damage had already been done. 

Even at this distance, Legend could hear the traveller’s breaths coming out in wild gasps, each strangled inhale seeming to cut off and interrupt those that came before from the violent speed at which they were being forced out.

Trembling hands reached up to claw frantically at his chest as desperate wheezes became stuck in his throat; each one choked as if the effort was physically painful. 

Legend instinctively reached out his hand again but froze when the traveller flinched violently and clenched his arms even tighter around his legs, shrinking in on himself. Whether it was to hide from them or protect himself, Legend wasn’t sure, but his entire form was now shaking from the force of the tremors that now wracked his body without mercy.

His own thoughts were a mess, each one colliding with the next in a maelstrom worry and confusion.

Vaguely, in the recesses of his mind, he recognised what was happening to his successor. He recognised it, as he was once intimately familiar with the feeling. 

Ravio had saved him from drowning in the pain and the panic and the feeling of the whole world falling apart to crush him horrifically beneath its weight. How did he do it? His own memories of that time were hazy and disjointed, as if they were stolen from some other poor soul.

No matter how much he grasped for them, they seemed to slip through his fingers like smoke. 

An overwhelming helplessness crashed into him with a tidal wave of memories, threatening to pull him under with it’s brutal intensity. How often had he stood by and watched as those he loved suffered? 

His uncle’s warm smile twisted in agony as dim torchlight stained weeping crimson an inky black; on the stones, on his legs, on his tunic, on his hands, on his face mixing with horrified tears that had threatened to drown him in his grief. His dying relative's final words as he just sat there, trembling and afraid _(“I shall always remember...our time...together...”)._

That beautiful island he couldn’t even protect from himself. 

Now here he was again, causing more pain in one he cared for so deeply. 

Had he driven Hyrule to this point?

Or was this unavoidable; a cruel consequence of the life his successor had suffered up until now. 

Either way, he should be _helping_ , but that terrified flinch flashed across his mind and filled his mouth with sand.

What if he just made things worse?! His own heartbeat thundered painfully in his chest as he tried to think of something he could do- _anything_ -to make this situation better. Maybe-

Gentle hands gripped his arm, piercing through the fog clouding his mind and slowly pushing him to the side.

Sky took his place in front of Hyrule, carefully kneeling just out of arm’s reach of the distraught hero with his palms held up in a placating, non-threatening gesture.

When he spoke the skylofitan’s voice was soothing and strong, despite the flickers of intense worry and confusion just barely hidden beneath a strained smile.

“Hyrule.” The word was softly spoken, as one would use to calm a frightened animal; though you would have to be deaf to miss the care shining through each syllable. “Hyrule, can you hear me? _Link._ You’re going to be okay. We’re here and we’re not going to let anything happen to you. You’re safe.” 

Sky may as well have been a ghost for all that Hyrule seemed to register his words or even his presence. Their traveller was now curled against the large trunk of a fallen tree, trembling arms wrapped tight around his knees as heart wrenching sobs tore themselves unbidden from his chest.

Hylia, he looked so _scared_. 

Sky’s smile faltered weakly, but he only paused for a few seconds before continuing. “You’re safe here and we’ll protect you. It’s going to be alright. I know this is scary and painful but if you listen to me, I can help you through it. Okay?” The last word was said in an almost pleading tone. Sky’s eyes shone like he was on the verge of tears himself, but the soothing expression on his face didn’t budge. 

Neither did Hyrule.

A blur of motion to his left drew his attention towards the rest of their group, who were all hovering around the campsite and looking like they were also barely restraining themselves from intervening. 

Time seemed the most put together, standing tall and strong like an oak tree to support the rest of their group. A frown marred his lips, but Legend couldn’t even begin to discern the complicated expression on his face as he stared at their traveller. 

He kept a solid hand on Wind’s shoulder, a pillar of support for the young boy who looked lost and distraught as he watched the scene in front of him. But there was an odd understanding in his eyes; a maturity that seemed out of place on his youthful and often mischievous face.

Warriors was hovering beside them, wringing the edges of his scarf through his hands as if that could prevent him from reaching out and trying to help the situation. Even he seemed to realise that overcrowding the traveller now would be a bad idea, but he likely wasn’t used to standing aside while one of his comrades was in trouble. 

Legend watched as the captain clenched his fists and wrapped one arm tightly around Wind’s shoulders, pulling him close to his side; whether for his own comfort or the sailor’s he wasn’t sure. For once, the younger hero didn’t complain or try to pull away, instead turning to bury his tearful eyes in the soft folds of his brother's scarf. 

The only one not fixated on the heart-rending scene before them was Four. Instead, the shortest hero had his eyes firmly shut and was muttering wildly, his body twitching with some form of internal agitation. Legend couldn’t make out any words, but it almost seemed like he was having an intense argument with himself.

His face couldn’t seem to settle on one expression, switching with disorientating speed from distraught to panicked to concerned to thoughtful before Legend even had the chance to blink. 

A soft _clang_ drew his gaze to the abandoned cooking pot, where Wild was shakily picking up the scattered implements and tapping lightly on his slate. A bundle of wood fazed suddenly into existence, unnatural blue light casting temporary shadows over the champion’s pale features.

A warm glow spread throughout the clearing as the fire grew back to its normal size, though Legend’s insides remained cold. The wild hero seemed to be doing something else, but he didn’t have time to wonder at the oddities of their champion.

Sky was still trying to get Hyrule’s attention with his gentle words, but the traveller had clenched his hands over his ears and just kept sobbing through choked, strained breaths as if he was trying to drown out the entire world. Nothing seemed to be getting through to him.

Sky cut himself off and stared at Legend with a lost expression before a large black form emerged from the shadows to approach the three. Wolfie let out a low whine, ears flattened and body low to the ground as he carefully crept across the forest floor towards the prone hero.

Legend hadn’t even noticed Twilight leaving his side, but he must have taken advantage of the group's distracted attention to transform.

With an uncertainty that was odd to see in such a great beast, the wolf inched forward until his wet nose brushed feather light against Hyrule’s cheek.

Hyrule startled slightly and tensed up even more, but he didn’t react as severely as he had with Legend. Upon receiving no objection, Twilight began nuzzling the traveler's face gently with a low, reassuring whine.

Hyrule’s bleary eyes opened a fraction and half-focused on the wolf. His strangled breaths were not any slower and each was still accompanied by a choked-off sob, but his eyes seemed to become less hazy the more the wolf kept contact.

After a minute of this, Twilight brought his front paws up and placed the weight of his body on Hyrule’s knees, obscuring his face from the rest of them. 

The strained heaving and shivering continued, but Legend noticed Hyrule’s hands twitch uncertainly before leaving his ears, trembling fingers hesitantly brushing against coarse black fur.

As soon as he made contact, Hyrule lurched forward and wrapped his entire body around the massive wolf, fingers gripping so tightly onto his dark coat that it must be uncomfortable.

But Twilight didn’t move away, instead leaning his giant head against Hyrule’s as the traveller gasped despairingly into his thick fur. 

“Hyrule, can you hear me?” Legend had almost forgotten Sky was sitting next to him until his gentle voice rang once again throughout the clearing; a hopeful spark present in his tone now that Hyrule seemed more grounded.

After a few seconds that seemed to stretch on for hours, Hyrule gave a jerky nod, barely noticeable from where his face was still buried in Wolfie’s fur. Legend felt the crushing weight in his stomach lighten as a relieved smile crossed the chosen hero’s features. 

“Good, you’re doing so well.” Sky practically cooed, voice warm and full of pride. “Listen to my voice, I’ll help you through this. We’re going to protect you. Okay?” Another tiny nod. “Can you speak?” 

“I-” The muffled voice was immediately cut off by a strangled sob. “I don-” 

“You don’t have to push yourself. You’re already doing amazing. If it helps, try to focus on Wolfie. He’s not going to let anything happen to you.” Hyrule’s hands immediately clenched tighter onto the wolf’s coat. “Good, that’s great. Can I touch your hand?” 

The traveller didn’t respond at first, but Sky waited with endless patience until he received an almost imperceptible nod.

With all the gentleness of handling a newborn loftwing, the chosen hero lightly pried Hyrule’s fingers from where they were tangled in Wolfie’s dark fur. He lay Hyrule’s palm flat over his heart, both of his own hands moving to cup the traveler’s in a secure grip before speaking again.

“Now I’m going to count my breathing and I want you to try to match it. Can you do that for me?” 

“...y-yes”

Legend watched with an impressed relief as Sky kept talking Hyrule through this attack. The skylofitan wasn’t usually the type of person to take control of a situation, often content to have a supporting role, but Legend had to admit he knew what he was doing.

Sky naturally gave off a soothing, non-judgemental aura, as if just being around him could ease your worries. 

He was using this to full effect as he talked Hyrule through his breathing, not hesitating or becoming frustrated when the traveller kept failing at first to match his timing; each of his words laced with a warm kindness.

Legend’s own racing pulse began to slow as he listened to the chosen hero’s voice echo throughout their camp, washing away the seeping chill that had begun to take hold of his heart. 

This continued over the course of a few minutes as the traveller began to gain more control over himself, barely managing to keep pace with Sky. His trembling began to lessen as well, and his grip on Wolfie began to relax. 

At this point Legend tentatively set himself down beside Sky and, upon receiving no negative reaction, began quietly regaling the traveller with lighthearted tales from his adventures. Small things of no real importance, but which might provide reassurance and something else to focus on now that his successor seemed less overwhelmed. 

Five more minutes passed before Hyrule seemed to have calmed down enough to breathe on his own, taking one last deep inhale before gingerly lifting his head up from where it had been tucked into the wolf’s fur.

Legend had not realised how tense and scared he himself had been until a wave of relief washed over him and he felt himself physically deflate. Hyrule was okay. Well, not okay, not by any measure was he _okay_ but he was here, with them and present and that was what mattered most right now. 

He fought back the overwhelming urge to bring the distraught traveller into his arms and reached out his hand to hover hesitantly over Hyrule’s own.

This time, his successor didn’t flitch away and instead closed the remaining gap, winding their fingers tightly together as if drawing strength from his presence.

“I…” The words came out scratchy and raw, Hyrule picking at Wolfie’s fur with his free hand to avoid looking at everyone. His dishevelled hair had fallen in front of his face, obscuring the newly dried tear tracks that marred his pale cheeks as he reached up to wipe at red-rimmed eyes. Goddesses, he looked and sounded exhausted. When he spoke again his words were laced with shame. “I’m sorry…” 

Legend’s heart twisted painfully at the shame filled apology. He immediately opened his mouth to offer reassurance, but another voice beat him to it.

“No!” Wind untangled himself from Warrior’s scarf and slowly crawled forward, mindful of the traveller wearily watching his every move. This close, Legend could just make out the staining of tears reflecting off the sailor’s face in the firelight. “You don’t have anything to apologise for! You’ve done nothing wrong.” 

“He’s right.” Warrior’s voice was unusually serious as he picked up his discarded scarf from the forest floor, brushing off a thin layer of dirt as he did so. “Even the strongest of soldiers experience this. I saw it a lot during the war, from those I respect the most and from myself. There’s no shame in it at all.” 

The captain's eyes were unusually warm and gentle as he kneeled in front of Hyrule, making sure to keep his small movements easy to track to avoid startling the younger hero. A pained smile appeared on his lips as he carefully wrapped the cerulean fabric around Hyrule’s shoulders, softly tugging so that it fit snugly around his smaller form.

He moved with a confidence that betrayed none of his previous worry; actions easy and natural as if he was well practiced in offering this type of comfort. After a moment of hesitation, he reached up to fondly brush a wild strand of hair out of the traveller’s face. “Though it took me a long time to realise that.” 

Hyrule stared at the captain as if he had grown a second head; bewildered and utterly lost and-

Was that suspicion?

“Here,” Wild stepped forward and held out a steaming bowl filled with a small portion of meatballs and rice. When had he…? “It’s your favourite. I-” He cut himself off uncertainly, as if debating his next words. “I often get hungry after I come down from an- an attack. I thought it might help you, if you want it.” He twirled a strand of his hair in a nervous habit. “Of course don’t feel like you have to eat it! Just because it helps me it doesn’t mean it’ll work for you...” 

Hyrule just stared blankly at the dish offered to him as if he couldn’t wrap his mind around what was happening. His eyes flicked from the champion to the food and back with uncertainty and no small amount of confusion.

“I’ve made enough for everyone.” Wild nervously piped up and headed back towards the steaming cooking pot, picking up another bowl. Had he been cooking this entire time? “If anyone fancies a midnight snack.”

Honestly, Legend’s stomach was turning at the mere thought of food, the night’s events having completely destroyed his appetite. He held up a hand to take a plate anyway, not wanting his successor to feel singled out. His agreement was echoed by everyone else without a second of hesitation and soon the cooking pot was empty once more.

No-one commented if most of them just prodded the food with their forks instead of eating much. 

A swell of fondness rose in his chest as he watched the others eat. Each of them was trying so hard to act normal, even though he can practically feel the burning curiosity and concern radiating off the less conspicuous members of their group.

Still, no-one mentioned the attack, having come to an unspoken agreement to make the traveller feel comfortable in this immediate aftermath. 

He would never admit out loud how grateful he was to call these heroes his family. 

Hyrule’s own bowl remained untouched at his feet. He was staring around him at the others as if he couldn’t comprehend what was going on, a complicated mix of emotions flitting across his face that Legend couldn’t even begin to discern.

Legend bit back his lingering nausea and took a big bite, keeping a determined smile on his face as he swallowed. 

“It’s good.” He said, leaning back against the log so that his shoulder bumped lightly into the traveller’s own. “The food, I mean. You should have a taste before it gets cold.” 

Hyrule’s eyes flitted to the food, then back up to Legend, who gave an encouraging smile and a nod.

Hyrule gave a hesitant nod back and reached for the bowl with unsteady hands, staring at it seemingly in a daze for a few seconds before moving to take a bite. 

And then he froze. Wild, who had been keeping an eye on them from across the camp, frowned in worry. “...is the food not good? I can make something else.” He was already getting up and moving to the fire when Hyrule’s tentative voice stopped him.

“No…” He looked up at Wild, and Legend realised with a jolt of worry that his eyes were shining once more with unshed tears. “It-It’s good. I-”

He seemed at a loss for words as he stared at the meal, his grip on the bowl tightening with each passing second.

Legend reached a hand to comfort his successor, but froze upon seeing the silent tears that had begun to trail down the traveller’s cheeks. Hyrule desperately tried to wipe them away with little success. When he spoke next his words were shaky and confused. “I’m sorry, I-I don’t know what’s come over me.” 

“It’s okay to cry.” Time had remained mostly silent throughout this ordeal, but now he moved across camp and crouched in front of the traveller, gently prying the bowl out of his white-knuckle grip. “Especially now, when tonight has already been so difficult for you.” That was definitely an understatement, old man. “None of us would ever ever judge you or think less of you for this. We only want to help.” 

He gave Hyrule a fond smile as he gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind the traveller’s ear, hand hesitating for the briefest moment to brush against a tear stained cheek.

Tear-filled eyes widened as the old man pulled away, expression torn between hopeless confusion and desperate longing, still looking like he couldn’t understand or even comprehend what was occurring.

Hyrule sniffled quietly and bit his lip to stop it’s trembling, though that did nothing to halt the tears now flowing freely.

Ever so slowly, as if he was scared of what he might find, Hyrule turned his gaze to take in the other heroes properly.

Each one of them smiled back, some more wobbly than others but the care and genuine concern in everyone’s expression was plain to see.

Finally, Hyrule faced him and made eye contact for the first time in days. 

Legend tried to pour as much into his gaze as possible; everything he’s been unable to express in words but so desperately wants the traveller to understand. How despite what he might think about himself, Hyrule was very important to him. To them. How impressive he is in battle, how strong and fearless and _good_ he is.

How he’s so sorry that his own failures may have caused so much pain for his successor.

Hyrule broke away first, hands covering his face as silent tears turned into quiet sobs. Still, it seemed like his successor was fighting to keep even the mirage of control over his own feelings.

“Hyrule…” He let out a sad sigh and reached out to lightly touch the traveler's shoulder.

The dam broke. 

Hyrule lunged for Legend with a gut-wrenching cry, knocking him off-balance and causing both of them to fall backwards against the log.

All restraint and control seemed to have fled from the traveller as his once soundless sobs became loud, small frame heaving with the force of them. He clutched onto Legend as if he was the only thing keeping him from falling apart completely as he wailed uncontrollably into his shoulder. 

A whirlwind of thoughts engulfed Legend’s mind as he thought back to the past few weeks; every failed attempt at comfort, every hand withheld and jumbled word stuck in his throat.

This time, he barely hesitated a second before wrapping both his arms around his successor and squeezing tight. He hummed in reassurance and moved his hand to brush gently through his traveller's hair, causing him to weep all the harder in response.

He could practically feel the eyes of the others watching him but for once couldn’t bring himself to feel embarrassed by this unusual show of affection. 

He couldn’t even begin to guess what was going through his successor's mind tonight, but right now that wasn’t important. In this small halo of firelight, isolated from the world outside with all of its problems, all he needed to do was be here.

Even the strongest of heroes needed help and comfort at times; he only hoped the traveller was starting to realise this.

That he was starting to trust them with this.

_You’re not alone anymore._

A large presence emerged from the shadows beside him as Wolfie whined and tucked his head into what little space was left in Legend’s lap. Hyrule blindly reached down and grasped his fur, pulling the large creature closer until he could wrap one of his arms around the furry form, still not lifting his head from its place buried in Legend’s shoulder. 

Legend bit back a sneeze from the messy fur now tickling his nose and instead shifted so that there was more room for the wolf to settle. 

As if this was some kind of signal, the others began to shift closer until they were surrounding the trio.

Sky’s calm presence settled next to him, hand replacing Legend’s own as he gently threaded his fingers through Hyrule’s unruly hair.

Twilight shifted so that his hind paws and tail flopped over the chosen hero’s legs, allowing Sky to press closer into Legend’s side and by association Hyrule’s.

Wind was at his other side in an instant, reaching out to wrap both of his arms around the traveller’s form and pressing his cheek firmly into his shoulder.

Warriors soon followed, gently readjusting the now dislodged scarf so that it was wrapped securely around both Hyrule and Wind. Satisfied they were bundled tight, he dropped to the ground at the sailor’s back and placed a reassuring hand on both their shoulders.

Wild’s scarred hand began rubbing soothing circle’s into Hyrule’s back from where he had settled beside Wolfie, the other carding through Twilight’s dark fur as if to provide some measure of comfort to himself. 

A smaller presence appeared beside him as a now silent Four rested his head against Legend’s arm, hand moving to cover the traveller’s own from where it was buried deep in Wolfie’s fur. His eyes flashed a kaleidoscope of colours in the dimming firelight before settling on a soft red and cuddling closer.

Legend blinked and shook his head, wondering absently if sleep-deprivation was causing him to see things.

All this happened within half a minute, so Legend was quite unprepared to find himself at the centre of an impromptu cuddle pile. He had expected to feel uncomfortable surrounded and practically pinned down by so many people, but instead an odd warmth bubbled in his chest. 

It reminded him of sleepy nights from his childhood, curled up in blankets as his uncle held him close and gently lulled him to sleep. 

Of sunset walks along the golden sands of a forgotten beach and a sun-kissed hand held tight in his own.

Of sleepless nights kept company with a warm fire, hot chocolate and a friend by his side ( _“Mr H- Link, it’s going to be okay now.”_ )

Safe. Loved.

Goddesses, he was growing soft. Warrior’s can _never_ find out.

The only one not joining them was Time. He had settled himself on the log at Legend’s back, so that his armour just barely brushed against the edges of his hair. Close enough for his reassuring presence to be felt by them all, but with his one eye focussed intently on the darkened forest surrounding them. Legend had almost forgotten they were still in hostile territory.

Knowing they were in good hands, Legend was able to turn all his attention back to Hyrule. His sobbing had not subsided at all, a loud uncontrollable sound barely muffled by his tunic. In fact, everyone’s attempts at comfort only seemed to unravel his emotions even more, as if this was the first time their traveller has felt safe enough to act so vulnerable.

When was the last time he had been allowed to simply cry without fear or consequence? 

_Damn_ the Goddesses and Hylia and any other higher power that might be in on this cruel joke. 

There must be something more he can do to help, aside from just sitting here and holding his successor close while he wept. How many times had Hyrule comforted him, after nightmares and during storms, gentle and unquestioning. Now it was his turn to return the favour.

But how? He was never any good at this type of thing, what should he-

...

There was one thing. Something _she_ did that always washed away his worries like glistening waves over the white sands of a forgotten island. Something which had never failed to bring him comfort, despite all the sorrowful memories that now tainted it.

But he hadn't sang it since… 

One glance down at the smaller form in his arms was all the incentive he needed to fight the nervous twist in his stomach. Mind made up, Legend rested his cheek against the fluff of Hyrule's hair and began to hum. 

At first he was quiet, nervous to share this part of himself he kept guarded for so long. But Hyrule’s sobs quietened, if only slightly, as if to listen. Filled with a newfound resolve, Legend raised his voice to fully sing the words that had echoed through his dreams, untouched for years, into the waking world.

_Sleepers wake, dreams will fade, although we cling fast..._

It was a melody of loss. Of memories as fragile as the distant edges of a dream; yet more real than anything he has ever known. Of ballads and wind fishes and sunset hair as bright as the laughter of the girl it belonged to. A song about bittersweet days forever lost to the whims of fate.

_Was it real? What we saw? I believe..._

But more than that, it was a song of _home_. Of an island, filled with people so wonderful that they welcomed a lonely traveller with no questions and open arms.

_Lost in dreams, we sleep on, tossing and turning..._

This song was a part of him, as much as the blood coursing through his veins or the frantic heart beating in his chest. What he couldn’t communicate through words, maybe he could do so with this.

_Stay with me. By my side. Never leave..._

So he poured everything he has tried and failed to say these past few days into his voice, willing the traveller to understand. His worry, his frustration with himself, his desire to protect and fight beside and _help_ Hyrule through whatever internal battles he might be facing.

In his opinion, Hyrule was a far more deserving hero than he was. His successor was talented and strong and _good_ in a way he could never hope to be. But even the best of heroes needed help sometimes.

_What if the worst comes? If someday this sweet reverie ends..._

He knew their adventure wouldn’t last. Once Dark Link was defeated, he might have to part from this group- his _brothers_ \- forever.

But not before he was given the opportunity to scream at Hylia for all the pain and suffering she has caused to their timeline. If he had it his way, Hyrule would never have to feel alone again. Even if he had to fight the Goddesses themselves to do so.

_We too, our memories, for real, fade us by..._

Right here, right now, he couldn’t do any of that. Instead, he tightened his hold and kept on singing into the cold night air, no longer as frigid and biting as it once had been.

Gentle snoring joined his voice as Sky’s head flopped onto his shoulder, soon followed by the even breathing of Four still curled against his side.

Wind leaned back into Warriors and slowly relaxed as sleep overtook him, arms still wrapped limply wrapped around their traveller. 

_Dream with me, by the sea, we watch the waves crash..._

The now gentle sobbing began to trail off into weak hiccups before going completely silent as exhaustion finally caught up with his successor.

Legend smiled and once again rested his head on top of Hyrule’s fluffy hair, pointedly ignoring the soft look Warriors was sending his way. He could deal with that, with all of this, in the morning. 

Right now, right here, he was simply going to enjoy this moment. He barely even noticed the tears falling silently down his own cheeks. 

_Hold my hand, think of me and I’ll fly._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment (I will love you forever if you do, even if it's only a few words). This part deals with a quite serious topic, so I'm really nervous about posting it. I've put a lot of my heart into this update and really want to do it justice, so your thoughts or just a simple reassurance that you liked it would be so so appreciated.
> 
> This was the last of my (planned) chapters from Legend's pov. Next time we will be going back to Hyrule's perspective and revisiting some events from the past few chapters, including his nightly conversations with Wolfie.
> 
> I might take a short break before writing the next part, since my brain has been on angst mode for the past two months and I need a bit of time to recover.
> 
> But I love this fic too much to stay away for long! 
> 
> _**Chapter summary:**_  
>  _It's been a week since the events of the last chapter and Hyrule has started talking to Wolfie at night. Legend is purposely sleeping away from them so he won't accidently eavesdrop on the conversation, so he has no idea what Hyrule has been saying. Suddenly a crash resounds throughout the camp, waking everyone up. Hyrule had knocked over the cooking pots/pans, and a very human Twilight is looking at him (v. distressed). Hyrule has a panic attack, but with the help of Sky and Wolfie he is able to be calmed down._
> 
> _The others try to comfort Hyrule, but he doesn't seem to quite understand or believe what is going on. Eventually, he breaks down in tears and cries uncontrollably into Legend's shoulder. Legend wonders if this is because for the first time Hyrule feels safe enough to be vulnerable, and is now letting out everything he has been bottling up for years._
> 
> _The Links join Legend and Hyrule to form what is essentially a cuddle pile. Legend begins to sing Ballad of the Windfish to calm Hyrule down. Eventually, the boys fall asleep._


	5. Splinter (Hyrule)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all your patience and lovely words from last chapter! Before we dive into this part I have just a few things extra things to say:
> 
> \- We have chapter titles now! This is to make the timeline of this story easier to follow, as we're going back in time to revisit the past chapters from Hyrule's perspective.
> 
> \- I also would like to say an absolutely massive thank you to Seeking7 for helping me with this chapter! She is an absolute angel and if you haven't read her Legend angst fic 'The Most Sincere Kind of Lie' yet then you absolutely should! It's amazing and so heart wrenching, I can guarantee you won't regret it. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

He felt it as soon as they entered the town. 

The feather light tingle of magic that brushed at his skin and made his hairs stand on end; a delicate touch of the supernatural that was as familiar as an old friend cloaked in mystery and intrigue.

It was this same spark that drew him into dark caves or isolated dungeons, luring him with promises of adventure and untold rewards if he hunted for its source. 

Sometimes it was a special item or interesting discovery, something completely new for him to marvel at.

Sometimes it was a new spell to learn, his own magic drawn to that same flicker of energy within the old sorcerers that would become his teachers. Each new incantation that fell from his lips unlocked even more of his world, beginning this cycle over again.

Sometimes he was met with particularly vicious monsters.

...

Most of the time he was met with particularly vicious monsters. 

It wasn’t his fault!

Often the most twisted of beasts were guarding something just as valuable, and his curiosity would never let him sleep until he discovered just what was on the other side.

Okay, it usually was his fault. 

So he didn’t even attempt to stifle his anticipation when the familiar tug of an unknown magic pulled insistently at his core, already knowing he wouldn’t be leaving this town until he figured out the source. Luckily, this one didn’t _seem_ to have any dark power behind it. Probably. 

He turned to Legend and hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling less confident about his self-imposed sidequest.

Was it selfish to ask?

They were all still recovering from a particularly difficult battle; some lizalfos from Wild’s world had been attacking the surrounding villages, and far too many of them had left black stains on their swords. The fight had been drawn out, all of them left exhausted by the end and excited for the prospect of an inn. 

Well, most of them had been. He didn’t really see the need for a comfy bed to recover from post-battle fatigue, but he could still enjoy a soft pillow every once and awhile.

They were all tired, and the veteran hero especially seemed adamant they get their supply run done as soon as possible. He doubted any of them would be willing to join him or even let him go off on his own. Sneaking away was always an option, but a new thought snuck into his head and wouldn’t leave him alone.

It was an idea that gripped his heart with excitement and fear. He’d never felt this way before, so why now? What changed? 

He shouldn’t even be considering drawing attention to himself like this! He’d spent too much time hiding his ignorance and pretending to be one of them to risk giving it away now. It was a stupid thought! But...

Despite all the chaos those monsters had caused, the memory of that battle brought a small smile to his face. He’d used one of his most powerful spells during the fight, draining his energy but dealing the final blow. 

It was the flashiest magic he’d ever used around the others, but the heaped praise they had given him was still completely unexpected. It was nice. No, it felt more than nice, like someone had lit a warm candle in his chest that enveloped his body and chased away the bitter darkness clinging to his mind like a parasite.

The giddy afterglow of their compliments lingered with him even now, and in the bright afternoon sun it was almost too easy to lose himself in this misplaced confidence. The squeezing ache of shame that held his heart hostage somehow seemed far away, and the others’ friendly gazes no longer burnt his skin in their judgement. 

This must have been why he was even entertaining such a dangerous idea. 

But maybe… maybe it would be more fun to explore this mystery with a friend.

He had to stifle a giddy laugh at the thought.

So he braced himself instead of turning away, the smile on his lips almost entirely genuine even as his heartbeat hammered a nervous tune in his chest, spurred on by a confidence he had no right to feel in this strange world. 

_That had been his first mistake._

To his utter surprise, Legend had given into his wishes without much of a fight. He should have been suspicious of the unreadable expression on his friend's face, but he had been too relieved at this easy acceptance to question his luck.

Time and Twilight also agreed to this detour far too easily, even slapping his back and happily telling him to “lead the way”.

His smile grew even bigger, if that was even possible. Maybe this would be fun! 

He marched their small group of Time, Twilight, Legend and himself through the town, keeping close to the buildings to avoid brushing against the wave of excited shoppers.

The arcane trail of breadcrumbs led them down a side alley and stopped just behind a plain wooden door, rusted hinges barely supporting its frame.

Okay, it wasn’t likely to be some vicious monster, but the magic emanating from within still caused his skin to buzz and his curiosity to grow. 

He went to grin back at his companions, but they all seemed more confused than anything else. His smile faltered for only a fraction of a second before he reminded himself that they couldn’t sense what he could.

The door opened with a loud _creak_ as he stepped inside. 

In Hyrule’s opinion, this shop was pretty nice. 

It was dim and cosy, with a small window at the back casting the afternoon sun in a streak across a dusty wooden floor. It didn’t provide much actual light, but it didn’t need to. This darkened room allowed the shimmering luminance of the potions within to shine all the brighter, sending streaks of colour across the walls that silhouetted the distorted shapes of the bottles next to them. 

The counter at the far end of the room was stained corner to corner with potion spillages. This shop must have been operating for a long time to build up that much mess, so the owner should be really experienced in his craft.

He closed his eyes and breathed in, practically tasting the musty air on his tongue as a swirl dust tickled at his nose. 

This atmosphere was familiar and comforting, in a way most places in these other worlds were not. Even the entrance was similar to his own lands; plain and unobtrusive, unlike the bright signage they kept passing in this town. 

But the best thing about this place was the sheer amount of _magic_ everywhere. 

The essence emanating from the rows of multicoloured elixirs weighed down the air like syrup, sticking to his hair and dripping across his skin. It sunk into the woodwork and cracked walls, accumulating its own mystical stainage over many years that caused magic to permeate from every corner and crevice of this tiny room. 

Items that have been infused with magic give off a slight magical aura into the world around them. This aura changed depending on what aspect of magic was involved, so fire potions felt completely different from healing elixirs. 

The strength of this magical signature could be used to assess the quality of an item; potions with a brighter aura often have more powerful effects, even though it was impossible to tell with the naked eye.

He was the only one in their group able spot these differences. 

It was one of the few things he could claim to be better at than the other heroes, and he took to the task with a fevered enthusiasm. It was during these times that he could forget his problems and pretend that he was on equal footing with these legendary figures. 

This was something only he could do, though it was a pitiful victory at best. 

These intrusive thoughts were quickly brushed to the side as he allowed his own magic to spin to the surface in response, filling him with a buzzing energy that heightened his giddiness and made his head feel light. 

_That had been his second mistake._

He really didn’t understand why this shop was tucked so out of the way. Was there something wrong with it?

He turned to the others with a genuine smile on his lips, about to comment on how lucky they were to have found this place. 

The words turned bitter and died in his throat. 

Legend’s face was twisted into a look of utter disdain as he eyed the dirty counter and dust-covered bottles, as if expecting them to jump out and attack him. He had his arms firmly crossed and seemed adamant to avoid touching any surface. 

Time was slowly turning to take in every corner of the small room, eye narrow and suspicious as his gaze swept across the old shelves. He stood with a relaxed precision, though Hyrule could see how his shoulders were tense and his hand raised to quickly grab his massive sword.

At least Twilight was looking around more in curiosity than anything else, though his nose kept scrunching up as if something was tickling his senses unpleasantly. 

All three of them kept glancing at the old shopkeeper in the back with a look of deep suspicion, though only Legend was outright glaring at the man.

Hyrule frowned and tried to find anything odd about the owner, but he just seemed like a normal shopkeeper. The spark of distrust in his eyes and unfriendly exterior was normal; they were strangers, so of course he wouldn’t let his guard down.

All the shopkeepers in his world were the sa-

Oh. 

He bit his lip and refrained from commenting, feeling a familiar pit of dread pooling in his stomach as his mind raced to fill in the pieces.

That’s right, the shops in these other worlds were very different from his own.

In his experience, shopkeepers weren’t friendly. Not to him, at least. 

Why would they be? The only true shops in his time were in towns dotted sparingly across his Hyrule, and there was rarely more than one per settlement. Anyone from outside these villages was automatically considered suspicious, and there was no doubt about how dangerous they were. 

He had helped many of these villages with monster problems in the past, so he was tolerated a lot more than most outsiders, but he would never be one of them. The locals still kept their distance like they did with any traveller, and although he was never explicitly told to leave he could feel the tension in the air whenever he visited. 

At the end of the day, shopkeepers were no different from everyone else in those towns; all business and sharp interactions that left no doubt that they wanted you gone as soon as possible. It’s not like he had anywhere else to resupply and they knew it. 

Going shopping in the other worlds for the first time had been an... _experience_ to say to the least. 

These shopkeepers were often very lovely. They welcomed their customers with a smile and offered help at every opportunity. Even the atmosphere of the stores themselves was somehow warmer than in his own land. 

It never failed to send a chill down his spine.

His mind screamed that their honey laced words and sugar sweet smiles were a trap that hid far darker intentions. No-one was nice to outsiders without a reason; it made picking out the Eyes of Ganon from regular townsfolk that much easier.

It didn’t take long for him to realise that he was completely alone in these feelings.

So he bit his tongue and tried to ignore his racing pulse whenever he was forced into a supply run, imagining the lookshe would receive if he ever told them the real reason he was on edge.

What kind of hero was spooked by a few civilian shopkeepers? 

Now here they were in a store that reminded him so much of his own land, with a rough owner who was oddly comforting in his predictability.

He should have expected the others to _hate_ it. 

He shook his head slightly and forced a smile back onto his lips, turning away from the others to distract himself with the huge variety of potions in front of him.

Luckily, the familiar atmosphere and magic-tinged air that settled into his bones made it difficult for him to focus on these thoughts for long.

Twilight’s large presence appeared next to him as he assessed a crimson healing elixir, it’s gentle magic sparking a warm tingle in his fingertips. He felt a genuine smile spread across his lips as Twilight began to ask questions, diving headfirst into explanations about magic and potions.

 _This_ was something he did know. 

After a few minutes he even managed to forget the creeping anxiety that had begun to weigh him down as he happily chatted to the older hero, emboldened by his rapt attention and words of encouragement. 

He was in his element. 

Maybe it was the creaking floorboards and familiar atmosphere which reminded him so much of his home. 

Maybe it was the excess magic he was breathing in, licking at his mind and making him careless. 

Maybe it was all the praise going to his head and tricking him into thinking he might actually belong. 

It was probably a combination of all these things, each feeding into each other in a disastrous spiral.

But he let his guard down.

 _And that was his third mistake._

He paused in his chatting to Twilight to assess a high quality fireproof elixir, thinking back to their current stocks. They had used a lot of these on their last trip to Time’s land...

His lips twitched into a confused frown when he realised that this shop didn’t have the prices listed next to the items. That was odd, all the shops in his world did. Brushing this thought off, he turned to the now glaring shopkeeper at the back and smiled, not bothering to check anything else.

“Um, excuse me? How much for this fireproof elixir?”

He had expected the irritated look that was shot at him, but instead of replying the grumpy man simply jerked his head behind him. 

...what?

Hyrule could already feel his heart plummeting slowly from his chest as he followed the shopkeeper’s gaze. 

That’s right. He’s not in his own world. 

No matter how familiar this place might feel, it still wasn’t his. Even rundown establishments like this one had a minimum requirement that he couldn’t meet. 

Painted in faded ink onto the old board was an odd smattering of letters.

And he couldn’t understand a single word. 

At any other time he would barely falter a second before setting his mask firmly in place. He would laugh and deflect in a way that had become second nature to him since starting this adventure. No-one would have noticed a thing; he had a lot of practice after all. 

But he had let his guard down; torn off his own armour to leave him vulnerable and unprepared to wage a mental war with himself. 

Magic pawed at his mind, dust clumped in his mouth and his thoughts _blanked_. 

The sudden whiplash from his comfortable mood was a shockwave through his brain, tearing apart any initial cover he might have given and throwing him completely off balance. 

Ice crept through his body, freezing the blood in his veins as he stared uncomprehending at the words in front of him. He needed to move, to say something -- _anything_ to deflect suspicion. 

As soon as it struck, the shocked numbness vanished, replaced by an explosion of thoughts that raced to fill in the void. A swarm of cuccos pecked unceasingly at his mind, his head getting thrown into a chaos frenzy as the situation began to crash into him. 

He could feel his body tensing again his will, responding to the sudden pounding of his heart and roar in his ears. 

He should _move_ , but he could feel the weight of the others’ gazes burning into his back, rooting him to the spot as a swell of panic climbed higher within him. 

He barely managed to tear his gaze from the sign, staring pointedly at the floor and trying to drown out the frenzied buzzing in his ears. 

A thousand words spiralled around his head, but they all turned to ash and burnt in his throat as when he glanced up.

Legend was staring at him with an intensity in his eyes that made him shrink, as if he was a puzzle on the verge of being solved. He quickly turned away, but the blistering gaze still followed him and judged his every breath. 

He felt naked, like every one of his weaknesses was on display for the whole world to see. The once playful shadows cast by ambient potion lights were now tall and towering; just more witnesses to his every fault. 

“What are you just standing there for?” The shopkeeper's voice snarled from too far away. “Can’t you read or something? If you’re not going to-”

_Can’t you read or something?_

The question hit Hyrule like a slap in the face, an involuntary flinch twitching its way through his body as a sudden surge of adrenaline poured over him like iced water. The man was still talking but he didn’t hear a word. 

His heart pounded in his ears as he repeated the phrase over and over again in his head. He’d still thought in some part of his mind that he could come up with an excuse and talk his way out of this. But now that the shopkeeper had spelled it out for them they would surely figure out the rest.

His fingers unconsciously tightened around the bottle in his hands as the frantic energy coursing through his body begged for an outlet. 

Long-honed survival instincts began to grip at him in tandem with his rising panic. He had to find what was causing him to-

No, he wasn’t in any danger here. He knew this. He _knew_ this, but...

He only managed to resist for a second longer before his gaze jerked to the side, needing to get the others into his line of sight. 

For a split second, his own dark eyes cross paths with sharp blue from across the dust covered room. He tore his gaze away almost immediately, but he would have to be blind to miss the gears that were turning inside his fri- the hoarders head as his lips twisted into an unreadable frown.

Did he realise yet? He had to by now. Legend was smart and Hyrule had confided in him more than any of the others. Of course he would have figured it out. 

_“Hey Wars, you’ve been staring at that sign for ages. Is it too difficult for you to read?”_

_“Geez, I’m not that dumb. I was just lost in thought.”_

A hot prickle of shame crawled its way up his neck to his cheeks as he stared unseeing at the floor.

This was it. Once they figured out he was lying about this, they would figure out what else he had been keeping from them. 

He always knew he couldn’t hide it forever, but he wasn’t ready. _He wasn’t ready._

He wasn’t ready for the sharp looks of pity that must be painted across their faces. Oh Goddess, what must they be thinking? What must Legend be thinking?

The magic in the air that had once been comforting was now suffocating, too heavy and clinging to his skin in a way that made his thoughts buzz and unfocus. He could feel himself slipping even more as the pressure bared down on him.

His hands were beginning to ache as he glanced down and realised how hard he was gripping the fireproof elixir. 

Judging eyes raked over him and he wanted nothing more than to run and hide and pretend this never happened. He would have, in his own world, but he didn’t think the Goddess would allow him to leave this adventure unfinished just because he was a coward. 

His senses were on a high alert, ears twitching with the strain of trying to hear and pinpoint everything around him. He desperately tried to reign them in, but a spike of fear through his chest stopped any attempts. It was impossible to ignore the instincts that had been keeping him alive for so long. 

He couldn’t disadvantage himself anymore by cutting off his own senses.

Then again, his survival instincts had been going haywire ever since he first joined this group of heroes. Almost everything about these new worlds set him on edge and seemed inherently wrong. 

His ears flattened backwards as Legend tensed behind him, floorboards creaking as he let out a light “oh” of realisation that was only audible due to the heavy silence permeating the shop.

Hyrule felt sick, stomach clenching as his mind flipped back to all the times Legend had given him his support. All the times he had been called a friend. He’d never been called a friend before, and he doubted he ever would again after this.

Legend’s eyes were narrowed sharply as his teeth clenched behind a prominent frown. The veteran’s fists were tensed at his side, as if he was barely restraining himself from hitting something in his fury. Hyrule felt himself take an involuntary step back as the hairs on his neck stood on end, knowing just how deadly the older hero could be when enraged. 

Any progress he had made in calming himself was violently thrown away. His mind howled at him to _get away, run, defend himself_ from this dangerous veteran hero vibrating with thinly veiled wrath in front him. 

A small flicker of hope, a frail denial that maybe they wouldn’t care or hate him over this, was immediately snuffed out. 

It didn’t matter, Legend had every right to be angry. To hate him. Hyrule had _lied_ to them all since they first started travelling together. But to see it displayed so openly like this, every inch of disgust and fury painted so prominently on his frie- his predecessors expression…

Bile rose in his throat as he tried to blink away the sting of tears. No, he wouldn’t cry. He couldn’t show such weakness. Not now.

He had been attacked enough times because of these emotions that he had long since learned to just run away at the first sign of rage. It was safer this way, unless he wanted a fight. He could probably take most people on no problem, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. 

He wanted to get out of here, to get away from all these confusing feelings and eyes staring daggers into him. In an ironic twist, it was this new thought that allowed him to finally gain some control over his own body.

It was a defense mechanism. An innate urge to not expose himself or appear vulnerable. A long-developed instinct that allowed him to mimic someone in control. People in his lands preyed upon the weak like Aches to a drop of his blood - many of the scars on his body were a testament to this. 

He took a deep breath and fashioned his lips into a glass smile, forcing his shoulders to relax and his white-knuckled grip on the bottle to settle.

It felt like putting on an old glove, the careful detachment of his body to his turmoiled mind offering a familiar sense of protection. A shield. A flimsy wall for him to hide behind and pretend that he was strong.

A bluff. 

“I’m sorry, but could you tell me how much this potion costs?” He asked the agitated shopkeeper, his voice feeling distant, as if it were coming from someone else. 

It wasn’t good enough. 

He could hear the faint trembling lacing his words and his smile felt strained even to himself. It would not fool the others, not now that they knew must be faking.

He knew it but he kept smiling anyway, desperate to cling onto any sense of normalcy. 

The shopkeeper let out a loud sigh, annoyance etched into his tone and on his face. Hyrule braced himself for another scathing remark which never came. Instead, the grumpy man froze at the same time Hyrule felt his heart skip a wild beat.

He didn’t need to look behind to feel the force of the glares being levelled in their direction, the temperature of the room seeming to drop a few degrees. Hyrule swallowed and kept his gaze forward so the others wouldn’t see his mask slipping under the force of their anger. 

What had he done now? 

“That one’s 30 rupees.”

The sour voice of the store owner jogged him out of his spiralling thoughts.

He gave a stiff nod and moved to the shelves as if in a trance, automatically reaching out with shaky hands to grab a potion bottle. His magic guided him, telling him which was which without him having to think, though he barely checked for quality.

That would take too long. He just wanted _out_ of here. 

The heavy pressure of the other heroes’ gazes followed him as he moved around the small shop.

Someone shifted behind him- _Legend, from the direction_ \- causing a low _creak_ to echo across the room as the rotting floorboards protested the sudden movement. He fumbled and almost lost his grip on the elixir he was pretending to inspect, but he caught himself at the last minute.

The cracks in his mask were etching deeper and his hands trembling more and would they _stop looking at him_ -

He grabbed a fireproof elixir before realising that it was actually a warming elixir. His hand froze. Oh no. No no no no. He even messed this up? He was supposed to be _good_ at this!

Had the others seen? 

The ugly twist in his gut knocked his flimsy smile from his face completely.

A tightness filled his chest as he sucked in a deep breath, blinking back tears and trembling with the effort to contain the despair that swelled up inside him. It was too much! In his own world, he would have run away by now or else fought what was causing him this pain. Not stuck in one place, his panic having no outlet and forced to fester inside him. 

He put down the bottle before he dropped it and instead grabbed the shelf, feeling the bite splinters as he gripped hard onto the aging wood to ground himself.

The magic in the air that once made him giddy and happy was now clawing at him, forcing his own magic to the surface and with it his emotions, raw and plain to see. But the others didn’t know that, so if he cried here now they truly would see him as pathetic. 

_Just breathe, just breathe, just breathe._

How much time had passed? Ten seconds? A few minutes?

The world was in a haze as his mind raced at breakneck speed while also seeming slowed to a crawl. 

Why were they still staring at him? What were they thinking? They might know by now, so why weren’t they saying anything?

Or were they sharing looks and glances with each other, judging him for all his deception and pitying him for his faults. 

His sharpened senses picked up on the light _thump_ of footsteps as someone crept towards the counter, where he could just hear the rough breathing of the shopkeeper increase in speed. From fear?

A hand clamped down onto his shoulder and _something was grabbing him-_

“...Hyrule?”

He spun on his heel, fingers already buzzing with the beginnings of a spell before his eyes locked with shocked blue and he immediately stifled the magic thrumming under his skin. A knife stabbed into his chest and mixed with the rest of his turmoiled emotions. 

Hylia, he had almost attacked Legend!

The other hero's wide eyes stared back at him.

Worry. Shock. Dread. 

Hyrule tore his gaze away before he could look deeper, terrified of what he might see lurking beneath the surface.

Pity. Disappointment. Anger. 

The certainty of this swirled inside him and settled in his stomach like a weight as he stared intently at the floor. Had Legend sensed the aggressive magic that had been dancing on his tongue moments earlier? 

Maybe not, since he hadn’t made any attempt to defend himself. At least there’s that. 

“I-” Hyrule looked up again as Legend’s strained voice penetrated the silence hanging in the air. “Do you want some help?”

The innocent question tore through everything else in his mind like a loosened arrow. He sucked in a sharp breath and spun around to hide his expression as hot coals once again reddened his face. 

Did he seem like he needed help with this? Oh Hylia, they must have seen his earlier slip up and decided he couldn’t be trusted with this anymore. Or now that they knew how terrible he was at even the most basic of things, they thought he was incapable or had been lying about even this.

He wouldn’t blame them, but it still caused a burning humiliation to cling to skin. 

“Thanks for the offer, but I can at least shop for myself.” He tried to sound nonchalant and confident like he always did, but the smile he shot behind him felt weak.

Something must have come across in his tone, as Legend’s own stiff smile twitched into an incredulous and even more worried frown.

“I mean, this is- shopping is so simple, right? I can at least- I don’t need help with something like this. ” He let out a shaky laugh, words clumsily falling out of his mouth as he hurried to justify himself. “So, um, I can do it. But thanks.” 

He mentally kicked himself and sent a glance back against his better judgement, but immediately forced his gaze forward again upon seeing tense look on Legend's face. He had disappointed the his fr- the older hero. Again.

Hyrule tried to stay calm as he waited for a reaction, but he could feel his body shaking as the feeling being trapped grew stronger with each passing second.

He almost jumped in fright when a new hand entered his line of sight and picked up one of the elixirs he had lined out. 

Alarm bells rang in his head. When had Twilight snuck up on him? He had been so wrapped in his own thoughts and the overbearing presence of Legend behind him that he had completely failed to keep his senses trained on the other three people in the room. 

He really hoped he didn't look as pale as he felt. 

“We know you’re more than capable, but the old man over there is always going on about teamwork and sharing the load, so to speak.” Twilight paused, and Hyrule followed his gaze to the back of the shop. 

What? 

Time was staring intently at something behind the counter, the twitch of his ears the only sign of his intense focus on their conversation. Hyrule knew intimidation tactics when he saw it, but why…?

“And he’s been glaring at me and Legend since we arrived. I’m pretty sure if we left everything to you we’d be chewed out later, which I want to avoid. So it would be much appreciated if you would let us help a little.” 

Hyrule slowly turned back to Twilight and scoured his features for some sign of the negative feelings he knew the other must be feeling; tension, anger, fear, confusion…

Legend had been practically dripping with agitation, his entire presence seeping with volatile emotions. He had been so obvious with his distaste, but Twilight wasn’t showing any of that. No matter how hard he looked.

Some of the numbness that had settled into his body dissolved as the older hero’s gentle voice washed over him.

That’s right, Twilight wasn’t a threat. Of _course_ he wasn’t. 

He nodded. 

A genuine smile spread across Twilight’s face, and Hyrule felt a flicker of warmth in his chest despite everything.

“But you know, there’s a slight problem we need to address.” The numb cold settled back into his skin as if it had never left. He was so-

“Both Legend and I have no idea what these different potions are. You’re the only one with that skill, which I’ve got to admit is mighty impressive.” What? “So how about you choose which potions we need, I’ll sort them and Legend here can figure out the money. That way we’re doing our bit and it’ll go quicker.” 

It took a few seconds for Twilight’s words to process fully in his mind. Was… was he serious? He would still rely on Hyrule with something like this, even after witnessing his incompetence first hand? Even though Legend thought otherwise?

He stared at Twilight some more, but couldn’t see a flicker of the deception or uncertainty he expected to be there. A chaotic mix of feelings whirled around his head; hope, small and flickering, tainted with shame that the other had to go to all this trouble.

He was being offered an escape route and he would be stupid not to take it. 

He could do this. He could pretend a little longer. 

The magic bearing down on him suddenly felt a bit lighter. 

“Okay.”

It sounded weak to his ears, but he felt too exhausted to say much else. It’s not like he was going to fool anyone other than himself. 

Still, Twilight grinned as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Great! Well, the sooner we get started, the sooner we finish.”

He turned his gaze to Legend.

Legend ignored them.

The second’s ticked by as the silence between them grew restless and stagnated. Conflict painted across his- in _the veteran’s_ expression as he refused to look up.

His jaw was clenched hard with tension and a sharp frown twisted his lips. The effect of this situation was so obvious in every inch of his form; it was unnerving to see the usually assertive hero so quiet.

He shouldn’t be thinking it, he should _believe_ in his allies, but the nagging little voice that has kept him alive for so many years wouldn’t shut up.

_Trust nobody._

“Er, yeah.” Legend’s voice broke through his conflicted thoughts. Hyrule looked up at the older hero just in time to see his eyes widen. “I mean, if you’re going to insist then fine. The sooner we leave this dump the better.” 

He stubbornly ignored the bite of shame at that description and turned back to face the shelf. He had thought- no he _knew_ the veteran was a better actor than this. The other really be upset with him if it was affecting him this much.... 

Check, pass, check, pass.

The repetitive and familiar motion began to calm his heartbeat as he got lost in this mind-numbing routine. 

Twilight had begun talking about his village kids; his warm and lighthearted voice was a comforting background noise, but he tried his best to ignore the words themselves. 

He always experienced a confusing mesh of feelings whenever Twilight spoke about his home, a twinge of _something_ stirring in his chest; confusion, envy and a strange longing for this life that seemed like it was plucked out of a dream. A fairytale instead of another reality. 

An odd melancholy seeped its way into his mind as the other hero continued his story. It wasn’t pleasant, but it provided something less volatile for him to latch onto aside from his spinning thoughts. 

Most of Hyrule’s focus was still trained on Legend beside him, so he noticed how the other kept tensing; his movements becoming stiff and his breathing more uneven as the seconds ticked by.

_What was he thinking?_

The minutes passed by like this, until he heard Twilight shift closer to Legend's side. Were they talking about him? They must be, right? 

He couldn’t bring himself to find out, so he just grit his teeth and tried to quell his fluctuating heartbeat. 

Check, pass, check, pass.

He longed to pick up the pace, but he would never forgive himself if the others ended up in trouble because he didn’t do his job properly.

The rest of the time seemed to pass in a blur of high strung tension and soon the clatter of rupees echoed throughout the shop.

Where was the shopkeeper? Oh, he was still cowering against the wall... 

Time shot the trembling man one more glare before pushing off from the counter and resheathing his sword, not even glancing backward as he walked away. 

What was that about? He didn’t seem to be asking for a discount, so what purpose could the usually mature hero have to intimidate a random shopkeeper? 

_Was it..for him?_

No, that was ridiculous. Why would they go to all that trouble for him?

_No..._

Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised; Time was a hero in every sense of the word. Of course he would go out of his way to help people, even if that person had caused nothing but trouble.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally stepped out into the bright afternoon sun. He paused for a moment to enjoy the fresh air and freedom from suffocating magic. 

The once comforting atmosphere in the shop had turned sour and been more like a cage in many ways, and he revelled in his newfound freedom.

The wind brushed softly at his skin as nervous energy began to spark through his veins once again. 

Now... now he _could_ run away.

His escape was right there and it was only his conscious mind that stopped his legs from bolting, hand twitching with the effort to keep as still as possible.

A silence settled over the group, each second lasting an hour. This only gave his instincts more time to get a foothold as his body tensed and thrummed with the need to get to safety.

But he wouldn’t allow himself to appear so weak.

“So…” Legend’s voice drifted across the group, uncertain and careful in a way that he rarely was. “I-um, that is-” 

“I’m going back to the inn.” Hyrule blurted out, unable to hear h- the veteran sounding so unlike himself. The prickly, confident hero seemed like he had been plunged out of his depth and was dragging Hyrule with him.

He spun around, years worth of experience preventing him from sprinting immediately upon seeing the alley exit. 

“I’ll come with you!” Hyrule paused at Legend’s hurried words, not quite believing it. His ears twitched as a foot crunched in the broken paving of the alley and he spun around before he could think.

He instinctively raised an arm to defend himself, even as his mind screamed at him that he was being paranoid, that this is -- _was_ his friend. 

The awkward aborted motion of his hand still seemed to halt Legend in his tracks, whose eyes had widened as his sudden movement. 

“...Thanks, but I can make it myself.” He swallowed, the false smile painted on his face coming more easily now that he was out in the open air. 

_Please, just let him go._

He didn’t voice his desperation out loud, but something must have shown on his face as the other simply clenched his jaw and gave a stiff nod. 

A swell of relief rushed through him. He’d been sure that they would force answers out of him. 

He really couldn’t deal with that. Not now. Not _here._

The wind was fresh and the sun was bright, but towering buildings loomed overhead and the murmur of unseen crowds still reached his ears. He was still trapped.

So he nodded back, before turning around for the final time and finally walking away from the three silent heroes. 

No sooner had turned the corner then something inside him _snapped._ His fraying mental walls crumbled apart as instinct seized full control of his body.

He ran, sprinting wildy through narrow streets, ignoring the disgruntled yells that snapped at his heels as he pushed and shoved in his single minded desire to _get to safety_. 

To leave this strange and terrifying place with its bright signs and merry people, all laughing and chattering in a way that was so false. This entire world was wrong, and that wrongness grated on his mind and squeezed his instincts until he could barely even breath. 

Here he was stripped bare and thrown to the wolfos. 

He didn’t know the best way to defend himself. He didn’t know the cues and signs of danger. He didn’t know how to act the least threatening and avoid the most trouble. He didn’t even know how to blend in. 

He didn’t know anything, and he kept making mistakes in his stupidity. He was-

No.

Maybe this world wasn’t wrong at all.

Maybe _he_ was wrong.

Maybe _his_ world was wrong.

His tragically beautiful land that he had bled for and loved more than his own life was being revealed for what it truly was.

Sick. Decaying. Broken.

Maybe he was just too blind to see it until these healthy worlds were forced down his throat. 

And yet still he adored his land with every bone in his body and polluted breath he took. The tinted sky, discoloured and hazy, that he had spent hours staring at in wonder as a child, thinking of all the adventures he would have beneath it. 

His dark forests, trees twisted and wild or thin and bare, who stood guard over him on lonely nights and offered their shelter and protection when he needed it most. 

His animals, so sparse but made more precious in their rarity. The others could never know the profound joy of waking up to a little friend by their side after months of being alone.

His people... 

They were rough and unpleasant to him, but he was an outsider. 

With each other they were full of such warmth and loyalty that he had spent many nights crying in bitter longing to experience just a fraction of their care.

They were soft and immeasurably loyal; dedicated to protecting their home whatever the cost. If that cost included outcasting a small child begging for help…

Well, there was a reason they had flourished while other settlements faded to dust. 

Their determination and spirit never failed to astound him, even if he could only admire it from the sidelines. They were survivors like him and he was honoured to call them his own.

Aurora spoke of the Hyrule from her memory; breaking but not yet broken, the people hopeful and united in their determination to keep their kingdom flourishing in the midst of downfall. They had failed, but now that Ganon was gone and the Triforce restored, maybe that dream could finally become a reality.

It was a beautiful, breathtaking dream of healing and growth where once there was only destruction. 

But it would take a long time to see the true results of their efforts; would he still be alive? Even if he did live long enough, he was now terrified he would never be able to enjoy the peace and light such a future promised. 

He was a creature of a dying world, born of the decay and strife that fed deep into the soil of his lands. The air he breathed was rotten, and maybe it had rotted him on the inside too, but it was no wonder that he couldn’t be happy in these healthier worlds. 

He was just like his villagers. Fearing the unknown and rejecting anything that he couldn’t understand. 

If his world was wrong then so was he.

The lush treeline came into view just as tears began blurring the edge of his vision. He spotted a group of children playing not far away and in his haze almost yelled at them to _get away from the forest it isn’t safe --_ before remembering where he was. 

So he ran and ran and kept on running, even as his muscles burnt and his chest heaved with the effort. He didn’t stop until the sights and sounds and overwhelming presence of civilization was lost to the gentle noise of the forest. 

Finally he paused, catching himself on the rough trunk of an old tree as his knees buckled into the dirt below him. The sudden force of his emotions crashed into him like a gut punch, knocking the air out of him as his fingers scrambled blindly in the mud for something to grip onto.

_They know._

They must have figured out how much he had been lying to them, not just about his ability to read but about _so much more_.

Legend, Twilight and Time _must_ be talking about him right now. What were they saying?

Would they tell the others? Could he expect a hoard of pitying or betrayed stares awaiting him back at the inn?

Shakily, he leaned down until his forehead was pressed firm into the damp ground beneath him, allowing the scent of fresh earth to ground him. Like this, he could almost imagine he was back in his own world. Except sweet birdsong echoed through the trees and the light buzz of bees caused his ears to twitch. 

His world had never been this full of life.

After a few minutes of surrendering himself to sights and sounds of nature his skin finally stopped crawling and he had the chance to breathe.

The adrenaline that had been fuelling him faded away, replaced with a deep pit of emptiness and resignation. He pressed harder into the ground and squeezed his eyes shut as hidden tears sank into the earth where no-one could witness his vulnerability - where no-one could take advantage of such weakness. 

He was stupid to think he could ever be one of them. That they could ever accept him once they saw what he really was.

He was too different, too ignorant, too _wrong_. 

As he lay on the damp ground still as stone, he tried to imagine that he was back in his own lands. It was just himself and a whole world for him to explore, filled with familiar dangers and threats he could handle.

This was how it should be. This was how he wanted it. This was how he was safe. 

Alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would also like to say a massive thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter. I was extremely nervous and worried when posting it, so everyone's lovely comments (including the one liners) meant the entire world to me <3


	6. Fracture (Hyrule)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe his life simply hadn’t been worth remembering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back!
> 
> This chapter has been a while in the making and I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me. I've been working on this constantly these past few months, but a lot of other projects suddenly popped up so it was slower going than I'd have liked. 
> 
> Your comments and kind words gave me so much motivation and I'm so happy to present you guys with this chapter! It's the second of three Hyrule POV chapters, this one about the events of ch. 3, and then we're on to the second arc of this fic.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_ Cold. Hungry. Scared. _

_ Link wasn’t a stranger to these feelings. They had been his constant companions for as long as he could remember. There may have been a time, long ago, when his memories were still hazy and uncertain, that these feelings didn’t grip at him with the ferocity they did now.  _

_ That time was far away. Safety was an illusion he couldn’t afford to entertain. _

_ Snarls echoed from the mouth of the small cave he had taken shelter in. Darkness surrounded him, broken by the flicker of distant flames which promised false warmth and comfort. Link shivered against the cold stone and bit back a desire to chase the fire’s glow. _

_ No death would be more certain.  _

Don’t come in, don't come in, don't come in  _ he prayed, not daring to utter a word out loud. The snarling grew louder as the monsters trapping him drew nearer. He scrambled as far back into his little alcove as possible.  _

_ A sob caught in his throat and he buried his face into his knees to muffle the noise, tears pricking at his eyes as the terrifying creatures shuffled close to his hiding spot. He couldn’t make a sound. He couldn’t let them know he was here. _

_His empty stomach clenched painfully as it growled too loudly throughout the cavern._ _He curled up tighter as the uneven footsteps stopped and listened for every breath he didn’t dare take._

_ Tears streamed down his face and he tried to stop himself, terrified they might wash away the mud hiding his scent, but sobbed harder as each wipe of his hand only made things worse.  _

_ So he let it be, shivering and trembling not just from the cold, as his heart beat a painful drum in his chest. The grunts died down and footsteps faded back to the entrance, loud jeers and shouts echoing from outside.  _

_Those monsters had come out of nowhere. He had barely enough time to roll in the mud and shove himself into a crack in the cave wall before they charged in and blocked off the entrance. He had expected them to leave quickly. They usually_ _left if they couldn’t find any prey._

_ They didn't leave.  _

_ It had been two days. Two days of being curled into this small space, unable to feel his legs and aching painfully with each twitch of his muscles. Two days of choking back sobs and whimpers whenever one of the creatures came too close. Two days since he had seen the sun. _

_ Three days since he had eaten. _

_ It was the middle of the hungry season, where finding food was as unpredictable as a rupee toss. It had been getting worse, with the thickening smog and dying trees, and now he was clawing at the dirt for anything edible. They were all clawing at nothing. _

_ The adults said he was lucky that he was still small and needed less food. He didn’t feel lucky.  _

_ He usually avoided them anyway. In the plentiful season they were helpful, but in the hungry season you couldn’t trust anyone. The pain of hunger would drive the best person to desperation, and desperate people do horrible things. _

_ Who would give in first? Would the monsters move on, or would the sharp twisting of his empty stomach force him to run? There were so many of them, and they were all three times his size! His lip trembled as his body was wracked with the desire to sob. _

_ They would kill him, but he would die if he stayed here.  _

Anyone...please, help me! 

_ It crept into his mind, a desire he hadn’t felt in... _

_ How many years had it been? Since those people left, took their warmth with them, and his tears had dried up. No-one would help him. He was on his own, like he always had been, and he didn’t need anyone else! He was managing just fine. He was... _

_ His throat tightened and his arms itched for the safety of almost forgotten memories. _

_ The word escaped him as silenced cries shook his tiny frame. A word he hadn’t spoken in years, that he had given up on, that he now failed to choke back in terror-driven longing. A word which gave false promises of a safety that had abandoned him long ago. _

_ “Ma...ma...” _

Hyrule blinked awake. 

A faint impression of the dream clung to his mind and for a second he forgot where he was. Something moved out of the corner of his eye and he grabbed the knife hidden under his bedroll, before catching sight of golden hair. It was just Wind. The sailor shifted again and Hyrule forced himself to relax. 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing his senses on his surroundings. On the owl which hooted above them, on the rustle of blankets and gentle snores, on the sharp crackling of the fire still burning bright in the centre of their camp. 

Everything that highlighted how different this land was.

They weren’t in his world. They were safe. 

He went to brush his hair from his face and frowned when his hand came back wet. Had he been crying? It wouldn’t be the first time this week he had awoken to tears. 

He remembered that time all too well. It happened years ago, back when he was still too naive and clung to pointless hopes. In the end, no-one had come. He had crawled shakily out of that cave and into the sunlight all on his own, dried tears and filthy clothes clinging to his weakened body. 

The fire  _ popped  _ and he turned towards the sound, but froze as thoughtful blue eyes met his own. He and Time held each other's gazes for an eternity before the older hero sighed and gestured to the free space beside him.

Hyrule considered turning away and ignoring the offer of company. He was tired and his emotions raw; that combination was dangerous.

_ Don’t get attached. _

It’s what he  _ should  _ do, but…

He glanced back towards the firepit, but Time had already turned away from him.

He didn’t want to go back to sleep. Not so soon.

Mind made up, he pulled back his blanket and tiptoed silently to the large log. Fireside warmth hit his skin as he settled down, as far away from the older hero as possible in this limited space. 

Silence. 

Hyrule didn’t dare look up in case the other took it as an invitation to start talking, so he contented himself with staring into the flames. There was something captivating about campfires at night, though it had taken him a long time to get over his fear and appreciate their beauty. 

In his world, it was too dangerous for lone Travellers to have a fire blazing their location into the darkness. With no-one to keep watch, it was almost a guarantee you would be killed in your sleep. The added warmth would have been nice during frozen nights, but he valued his life more than his comfort. 

Of course, with such a large group, it made sense to have a fire whenever they made camp, but that didn’t stop the anxious spike in his stomach that told him they were asking to be ambushed.

Captivating but deadly.

“I’m not going to interrogate you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

Hyrule startled at Time’s voice, so distracted by the flames that he’d forgotten he had company. 

“I wasn’t worried…” He mumbled back.

“Of course not.” Time's voice was soft; quiet and hushed so as not to wake the others. “But you have been avoiding us.” 

Hyrule swallowed and glanced over to where Legend was sleeping on the other side of camp, far away from his own vacant bedroll. He couldn’t even try to deny it.

It had been three days since the incident in that potion shop. 

Incident. The word sent a bitter curl of shame through his chest. He may not be as good with language compared to the others, but ‘incident’ didn't even come close to that carriage wreck. 

Failure. Disaster. He could think of many words that would be more fitting.

Since then he had been chased by Legend and Twilight at every opportunity, cornered like a mouse in a trap. He never waited around long enough to hear what they had to say; he didn’t think he could handle the angry accusations or pitied words they would try to offer him.

Or in the unlikely chance they would try to comfort him…

Well, his resolve was already weak enough. There were no good outcomes to this.

None. 

“I…” He started, but couldn’t think of any believable lie for his actions. “I’m not-”

Time held up a hand to silence him. 

“You know, I didn’t learn to read until after my adventures.” 

Hyrule snapped his gaze to Time. The older hero’s brows were crinkled in gentle understanding as his one eye stared directly into Hyrule’s soul. An uncomfortable feeling twisted in his stomach at the look.

“You seem surprised.” 

“Well, I…” He trailed off, but curiosity pushed him forward. “I thought it was something all Hylians in your era can do?”

“Most do. But I wasn’t raised in Hyrule or by Hylians, and reading wasn’t considered an important skill where I’m from.” Time chuckled and busied himself with stoking the fire. “I didn’t even realise it was a problem until I began living with Malon. She was as shocked as you are.”

Hyrule sucked in a breath at the similarities and couldn’t tear his gaze away from the illuminated form of the other hero. Time seemed lost in thought as he stared absently into fire. 

“There was actually a lot I didn’t know. There wasn’t much time to learn about etiquette and social norms on my adventures. It hadn’t bothered me until after my quest ended. Then I started noticing the looks people would give me.”

Hyrule leaned forward to better hear the his words, all thoughts of keeping his distance forgotten. He knew exactly the looks Time was talking about.

“Malon didn’t care at all, she was almost as wild as I was.” He chuckled fondly. “But Talon kept trying to keep me away from the townsfolk as if I was some kind of shameful secret. I know now it was all for my sake. He was just trying to protect me from the people’s judgement and pity, but the fact that he felt to need to do so at all was...” 

He trailed off, all traces of amusement gone from his face. A rock dropped in Hyrule’s stomach and he tried not to let his sudden disappointment show as Time turned to face him.

“I’m sure you of all people can understand.”

Hyrule let out a breath and clenched his fists. Frustration pooled inside him. No, he  _ couldn’t  _ understand.

For a split second, he had gotten his hopes up. Instead, it only highlighted how different he was, even compared to Time.

Images of pitied gazes and harsh whispers had seared so deeply into his memory that he couldn’t remember a time without them. In that he supposed they were similar. But at least the Villagers in his world had understood, even if they shoved him away. 

Time was by his side, and the gentle snores of his companions echoed into the night, but he hadn’t felt so alone in weeks. Even the warmth of the fire now felt empty.

“No…” He whispered, before clamping his mouth shut as the old man’s warm gaze turned confused. 

“Hyrule?” 

“No, I-” The tears that had been pricking the edge of his vision since his dream threatened to escape, and he clenched his eyes shut to avoid breaking down again. “No, that’s different. I…”

“Hyrule, it’s oka-” 

“No!” A groan echoed from the closest bed roll and Hyrule held his breath until the sound of Warrior’s snores returned. “I’m not like you.” He mumbled under his breath. Fire filled his vision as he stubbornly kept his eyes turned away from Time. “I-I mean, I’m- You can’t-”

Words bubbled to the surface but got stuck in his throat as he tried to speak. How do Villagers do this on a regular basis?

“Hyrule, take a deep breath. It’s just us two here, you have nothing to hide.” Time’s gentle voice coaxed his gaze back to the older man, whose smile had turned stiff but no less warm. 

He took an obliging breath and closed his eyes. The flames crackled a comforting tune beside them, and he focussed his attention on that.

Why was he even entertaining the idea of telling Time anything? He had already accepted that he wasn’t a part of this group. That it was dangerous for him to even try. Distancing himself was the safest option. He was better alone. 

But…

That unfamiliar twist in his stomach returned. Why did he  _ want  _ him to understand? Why did Time’s words hurt so much? 

He was being silly and naive. After all, a Villager could never understand a Traveller. 

“You had someone. People...” He mumbled. “People who wanted to help you. You say Talon was trying to  _ protect  _ you I-” The campsite suddenly turned a lot colder despite the fire burning next to them. He wrapped his arms around himself. “How could we possibly understand each other?”

The last sentence was whispered so quietly he wasn’t certain Time had even heard him. That’s right, he was too different from these heroes. They would never understand.

“Hyrule, I-” 

“I’m tired. It’s almost time for Legend’s watch, right? You should probably wake him up.” He stood up quicker than usual and made to leave, but a hand loosely grabbed the edge of his shirt to keep him in place. Hyrule stiffened but didn’t turn around. 

“Why don’t you wake him up? I’m sure he would like the company.” Time said casually, but Hyrule frowned at the slight strain in his voice. 

“He wouldn’t want my company.” Memories of growled words and eyes blazing in fury flashed through his mind, the source of them sleeping fitfully a few metres away. There’s no way Legend would want to be with him, even if he tried to be civil for the others’ sake. That type of anger didn’t fade in a few days.

Time sighed and let go of his tunic, but neither moved away. 

“Is that what you think?” Time asked.

Hyrule frowned at the confused tone, taking a breath and turning to the hero once again. Something must have shown on his face, because Time let out a fond sigh and smiled at him. 

“Legend’s been trying to talk to you for days. He’s worried about you.” The look on the old man’s face grew sadder. “We all are.” 

“Worried..?” He didn’t understand. Legend hated him.

“You’re our friend. More than that, you’re our brother. And Legend cares about you the most out of all of us.” Time searched his face for a few seconds before glancing back to their sleeping companions. “You don’t have to say anything tonight, but for his sake, at least listen to what he has to say. You might be surprised.” 

_ Lies  _ . 

The creeping voice hissed in his ear, but he shut it down.

Time would never lie. 

Even if it went against everything he had ever learnt, something in him wanted to trust the older hero. Trust was dangerous, but with this group it drew him in no matter how far he tried to run.

They stared at each other in silence, but Hyrule couldn’t make out Time’s expression through the shadows cast by the now dying fire.

Finally, Time sighed and got up off the log. “Get some sleep, Traveller. We can talk more about this later.” 

_ Traveller. _

The others didn’t realise the implications of that name, but it still stung. Even if it was true, he didn’t like being reminded of his place in the world. In a group of obvious Villagers it hurt to be singled out as the lone Traveller. 

Belatedly, he realised that Time had started making his way across the campsite towards Legend, and he bolted back towards his bedroll as quickly but quietly as he could. He just managed to wrap his blanket back around himself when a tired grumble and the rustle of cloth signaled the veteran’s awakening. 

The owl hooted again as silence engulfed the camp once more, leaving Hyrule with nothing to distract himself but his own confused thoughts. 

He didn’t get any more sleep that night.

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the faint patter of raindrops echoed around them. Hyrule closed his eyes and took in a breath of fresh air; clean and accompanied by a biting cold. He wrapped his arms loosely around himself, but didn’t turn away from the droplets hitting his face through the canopy above. 

Rain had always been both a blessing and a curse. It was safer to travel during downpours, when scents were washed away and visibility low, making it difficult for monsters to track or ambush any Travellers on the roads. On the other hand, the chill and discomfort took away much of the joy of travelling.

Now, he embraced the feeling of safety the dark clouds brought with them. For a brief moment, they managed to dull the emotions that had been warring inside him for the past few days. 

A movement to his right shattered his brief peace. He glanced back in time to see a red form jump at a sudden crash of thunder. 

The veteran trudged along slowly at the back of their group, head bowed, soaked hair obscuring his expression from the rest of them. His hands were clenched together, as if he was stopping himself from reaching out, and he occasionally rubbed his wrists in stiff movements. 

The stone in Hyrule’s stomach grew heavier. He forced his gaze away. 

The past few days had been the hardest since they first started on this journey. Avoiding the others before, thinking that he faced only anger and accusation at their hands, had been easy. Well, not  _ easy _ , but that fear and certainty had given him the perfect excuse to run. Now though...

_ “He’s worried about you.” _

Hyrule could hardly believe it, and hadn’t at first, but it had become increasingly difficult to deny. The glances, the cautious way he was approached, as if he were a wild animal, the unreadable expression that painted the veterans face whenever he made his excuses.

He couldn’t place the emotion, or recognise that body language, or identify the tone of voice. He didn’t know what worry was supposed to look like on a person.

But he knew anger, he knew aggression, and he knew ill-intent. 

Whatever this was, it wasn’t those.

It reminded him of Twilight when Wild experienced a memory, or Warriors whenever Wind did something dangerous. 

A crash of thunder, louder than any before, echoed around them. Legend jerked and stared at the sky in wide eyed panic, trying and failing to appear unaffected.

This was his fault. He  _ knew  _ from the first rumble how this storm would affect the older hero but he still left him to deal with it all by himself. He was a coward, and others were suffering for it. 

As if sensing his thoughts, blue eyes glanced up and locked with his own. He immediately turned away, heart racing, and prayed that Legend hadn’t seen him through the heavy rainfall.

A very small part of him prayed that he had.

Too late.

The heavy  _ squelch  _ of footfalls on muddy ground set his instincts buzzing. He could still make an excuse, pretend that he hadn’t realised Legend was there and run ahead. It’s what he should do to keep his distance, but some foreign feeling crept into his chest and held him in place. 

Then Legend fell into stride beside him. Hyrule braced himself. For what, he wasn’t sure. Accusations? Questions? Insults? Legend was never one to hold back and loved to make his opinion known. 

This silence was unnerving.

He shivered again and almost jumped out of skin when their arms brushed together. Slight warmth, barely noticeable through soaking sleeves, crept into him and he couldn’t bring himself to move away.

He didn’t want to be cold. 

But now that they were closer, he could feel the veteran tensing and untensing beside him. Legend let out a low breath and gripped one of his wrists, rubbing at it absently with a frown as his eyes stared unseeing in front of them. 

“Does it hurt?” Hyrule blurted out, but froze when surprised eyes turned his way. 

“What?” Legend asked, blinking at him in confusion.

Hyrule swallowed and nodded to Legend’s wrist. Realisation filled the other's expression. His hands dropped to his sides, though his fingers seemed to twitch with the urge to continue their soothing. “What, this? It’s nothing I’m not used to.” 

He tried to sound casual, but Hyrule knew Legend and he could hear the underlying strain in his tone. A well of guilt, which had been filling since the storm began, overflowed at the words. 

Legend had trusted him with this. With their bedrolls so close together, he had seen the veteran become stiff and restless on cold nights, or his steps falter when walking in the chilled air.

Of course, he had never outright asked, but eventually his then-friend had spoken quiet words of confession one freezing night. 

He had no idea why Legend had told him this weakness of his. Maybe he knew that Hyrule would never be able to beat him a fight anyway, even with this added advantage.

No matter the reason, he was fully aware of the physical struggles Legend suffered through. And he had promised to help.

He wasn’t a warrior or a fighter.

He definitely wasn’t a hero.

He was a Traveller, but no different from all the others wandering the wilderness of his home.

He wasn’t much, but he  _ was  _ a healer. 

And he had been running away from this duty because of his own selfish reasons. 

No wonder Legend had been trying so hard to speak to him. He must have been waiting for Hyrule to heal him this entire time. That must be why he was worried.

“Still…”  _ It’s my fault  _ he wanted to say, but he bit his lip and jerked his hand at Legend’s arm. “May I?” 

He tried to ignore their surroundings and focussed solely on the limb stretched out in front of him. He took it in his hands, mindful to be gentle with the tender joints, closed his eyes and called to his magic. 

It began as a buzz, warmth spreading from his core into his outstretched hands and building in his fingertips, waiting to be unleashed. He let it build and build, until he couldn’t hold it back any longer, then released his tight hold.

He didn’t need a spell for this. The natural healing properties of his magic filled the other hero with only a small amount of guidance from him. 

Not enough.

He pushed more of himself into Legend, uncaring of the sweat that began to bead on his own skin. He could feel the tendrils of his power racing around Legend’s body to brush over any cracks or pains, and did not stop until there was nothing more for them to find. 

The final wisps of magic faded away and he almost startled at his companion’s soft sigh. Legend’s eyes were closed, face relaxed and lips twitched into a faint smile as he leaned into Hyrule’s touch. It was the most relaxed he had seen the veteran in days, and he hummed pleased as he pulled back. 

Then a wave of dizziness overcame him. He barely managed to catch himself before falling over, but his stumble wiped the relaxed expression off of Legend’s face. He straightened and ignored the world spinning as he took another step forward, this time managing to keep his balance. 

The damage has already been done. 

Another few minutes passed and Hyrule felt the tension inside him climb as Legend remained silent, a thoughtful frown marring his features.

His magic should remain in effect for the next few hours, so there was no reason for Legend to stay by him now, right? He should leave-

“Do you know why I get these...problems?” Legend's voice was quiet, too quiet for the usually loud and opinionated hero, and a new wave of concern rose within him. Was he still in pain? Was his magic good enough?

Then the words registered, and his footsteps faltered. Legend was staring at the ground, fists clenched at his side, rain soaked hair a curtain over his features. 

“No-” Hyrule replied distantly, mind racing as he struggled to find a reason for Legend’s sudden question. “-you never told me.” 

And he had never asked. Of course he hadn’t; you couldn’t just ask someone personal information about themselves, especially stuff that could be linked to a weakness. Well you could, if you wanted to be aggressive, but he respected the other heroes far too much to put them in that situation. 

Legend’s jaw clenched.

“Years ago, on one of my earlier adventures, I ended up on an island-”

Hyrule held his breath as Legend kept talking, shaky words spilling from the other as he tried his best to listen over turmoil of his own thoughts.

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t  _ right  _ . 

It was obvious even now how important this information was. Legend was trembling with an expression of utter despair as he stared unseeing into the distance; but still he kept on talking. Didn’t he realise how vulnerable he was making himself? 

He trusted Legend with his own life, with the kingdom, even with his princesses. He would rather die than betray this group, but the others didn’t know this. So  _ why  _ was he being trusted with this? For Hylia’s sake, he had been  _ lying  _ to everyone from the very start. 

Wasn’t Legend angry at him?

_ “He’s worried about you.”  _

He didn’t understand any of this! 

The winds howled around them, ominously shaking the branches of the trees, and the blurry figures of the other heroes were drowned out in the pelting rain. It was just him, Legend and the darkened sky. 

The veteran continued speaking, and Hyrule had to draw closer to hear his words. 

He spoke of things Hyrule couldn’t understand; home, family, belonging. But his expression didn’t reflect Twilight’s gentle warmth whenever he talked about his village kids, or Time’s dopey grin as he spoke about Malon, or Wind’s bright smile as he recounted tales of his little sister.

There was only pain.

At least he could understand that. 

A  _ boom  _ of thunder pierced the quiet intensity that had built between them. Legend startled, eyes wide like a rabbit caught in a hunter’s trap.

He had never seen the prideful veteran so open, so vulnerable. He wanted…

What did he want?

A second peal of thunder echoed around them. This time Legend flinched and jerked a hand towards him, seeming to be unaware of his actions as he stared blindly up into the storm. A lump formed in his throat as he reached back on instinct.

Legend would still put his trust in, and seek comfort from, Hyrule while in this state? It should be the opposite! He shouldn’t be showing this side of himself to someone he didn’t trust not to take advantage of him. 

No, the other hero  _ wouldn’t  _ do that, no matter how emotional he became. So what did this mean?

_ “He’s worried about you” _

Shut up!

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want t-”

“No!” He recoiled at the sudden ferocity in Legend’s tone. “No, I  _ need  _ to do this.” 

Their eyes met for the first time since their conversation began, the gale whipping around them now a forgotten entity in the wake of the desperation that hung between them.

He swallowed and tightened his grip on the other's arm. It was obvious Legend wasn’t going to give up. It didn’t matter what he thought or felt.

He was a healer, and Legend was hurting.

So he listened. He watched as the proud hero came apart with each pained word, expression switching from warmth to melancholy as he spoke of love and loss, twisting to bitterness as he trailed off. 

He spoke of an island, of a girl, of love, and-

“I killed her! I killed all of them!” 

Legend’s cry was almost drowned by a ferocious clap of thunder. The wind howled as his fr- the veteran crumbled in on himself. Their footsteps faltered and stopped, but Legend carried on talking. 

He spoke of death. The death of a whole island. Of his home. 

Shaking, Hyrule tried to follow the words but his vision was taken up by the sight in front of him. Curled into himself like this, pale and shaking, the Hero of Legend didn’t look very legendary. 

He looked small; scared and broken in the middle of a storm that he had no control over. This was  _ wrong  _ . There was no way Legend, strong and brave and a true hero in every measure of the word, would be like this. Legend wasn’t weak like him, so why…?

It was all he could do to stop his own trembling and squeeze his broth- the other in reassurance. 

With a few steadying breaths, Legend’s shaking lessened and he seemed to regain some control over himself, continuing his story as if nothing had interrupted. 

Dreams. Wind fishes. 

The veteran paused, as if expecting something from him, but then kept on speaking when he bit back the questions burning in his throat. 

Now that he was calmer, Hyrule found himself able to focus on the words being spoken rather than the wrongness of this situation.

Dreams? The island he spoke of may not have been real, but the anguish in Legend’s voice was, so deep and true that even Hyrule was able to identify it.

Waking. Loss. Death.

Something tight gripped his chest as tears pricked at his own eyes, and he had to swallow to keep himself together. He wasn’t the one hurting, so why was this so painful?

“I forgot about the dream when I woke up, but not for long. Once I began remembering what had happened, what I’d done, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Aren’t heroes supposed to save people? How could anyone call me a hero after I’d wiped an entire land from existence?!”

The desperation in Legend’s voice was tangible as he pleaded, but all Hyrule could do was stare. 

How could Legend even think for one second he wasn’t a proper hero?

He was the _ Hero of Legend _ , a man deserving of the title one hundred times over. Hyrule had seen him in battle, fierce and graceful and resourceful, cutting down all in his path. 

There was no-one he respected more. It was the Goddess’ fault for forcing him into these situations, but the resilience needed to come back from that made him more than worthy.

“I didn’t tell anyone about Koholint. I thought that it was my burden to bear, that I didn’t deserve anyone’s sympathy or  _ pity  _ -” 

No, he had to be lying. Legend wasn’t like him. He wasn’t deserving of pity, he would never have been shown that disdain.

But why would he lie?

“-for what I’d caused myself. Instead, I dedicated myself to the life of a ‘hero’. I thought that if I saved enough people, then maybe- just maybe -it would make up for all the lives I had ended on that island. That this was the reason I lived on while they were all gone.”

That’s not true! 

The painful, unfamiliar feeling grew bigger, and he realised he had been gripping Legend’s arm in a tight hold. He forced himself to relax.

This was all wrong. He  _ should  _ be staying away.

He had made a promise. For himself, for the others. But how could he leave now? When the wind howled around them and his presence seemed to be the only thing keeping Legend together. 

He still didn’t understand why. 

“I pushed myself hard. Far too hard. I didn’t allow myself to stop, to rest, to  _ heal  _ because I thought- I thought this was my punishment for what I had caused. That I needed to spend my entire life atoning for my stupid mistakes. That I wasn’t  _ allowed  _ to be happy. Not when they’re all-” 

Legend’s footsteps faltered to a stop, expression twisted into something dark and desperate. The shaky breath that wracked his body sounded strained, and Hyrule couldn’t tell if it was raindrops or tears on his face.

For some reason the idea of the Hero of Legend weeping was so foreign to his mind.

Heroes didn’t cry, or tremble with fear, or appear weak.

They stood tall and strong, leading with a confidence he didn’t possess himself, with an assuredness and talent he could never hope to match. The others all showed these same qualities, except for himself.

They were all proper heroes. 

He still believed this, but that same Hero of Legend was shaking in front of him like a lost child, talking about self-hatred, and guilt, and failings as if he had experienced them first hand. 

What did this mean?

No, he needed to stop being so self-centered! He shouldn’t be worrying about himself at a time like this. 

He swallowed back the tightness in his chest and slid his hand down the veteran’s arm until he could link their fingers. He was freezing!

Hyrule wrapped his second hand tight around Legend’s own and squeezed, leaning in closer to share his body warmth. This was what people did, right? He had seen Villagers huddle close like this before.

Legend startled and faced him. For once it didn’t occur to him to turn away.

Those were definitely tear tracks.

“What changed…?” He battled against the voice screaming not to ask questions. Legend had said that he needed this. If Hyrule had to break a few of his own rules to help, then he would go against all of his instincts if necessary.

Legend stared at him for a second, jaw clenched and a newly determined spark in his gaze.

“I nearly died.” 

...what?

But Legend was still speaking, words coming out in such a rush that Hyrule had to concentrate to tell them apart. A chill crept down his spine as the veteran rambled on.

Dungeons. Boss rooms. Luck. Weakness.

He spoke of pushing himself, far beyond anything he should have been able to handle, to do something Hyrule was all too familiar with.

Run. 

Running from his problems, the self-hatred plaguing his steps, the responsibilities that hounded him and failures that mocked his dreams.

It was too familiar to be true.

And yet the bitter smile on Legend’s face betrayed a guilt that made Hyrule’s heart clench.

There was no way that was faked. 

He spoke of his near-death with such flippancy. The thought shouldn’t have been as scary as it was, but his racing pulse didn’t slow until a hand squeezed his own. That’s right, Legend was safe now, and he squeezed back just to feel that gentle unfamiliar warmth once again. 

“But you’re…” Words caught in Hyrule’s throat, but he forced them out. Traces of doubt and hatred were still present on Legend’s expression, and he couldn’t bear to see it. “You’re still here. With-”  _ With me.  _

If things had been slightly different, if luck had run out, then they would never have met. He couldn’t imagine going on this quest without him.

Another clap of thunder sounded across the darkening sky. They startled and stared upwards. The grip in his hands tightened a fraction, but he pretended not to notice as Legend put himself back together.

“Yeah.” He wondered if Legend realised how shaky he sounded. “For once Hylia seemed to be on my side, because by some miracle I had an item I could use to escape. But I  _ thought  _ I was going to die. I would have, if not for my ‘hoarding’ tendencies, as Warriors puts it.”

Hyrule forced a small smile onto his face at the poor attempt at humour.

“And- I- It’s true what they say, about your life flashing before your eyes. At least, it was for me.”

Is that what people say? He had danced with death many times, but his life had never flashed in his head. Or had it?

There was once, as he bled on the ground with his own shadow looming over him, that he had a dream. But it must have been a fantasy. The sweet lullaby that had echoed in his mind couldn’t have been real. Not for him.

Maybe his life simply hadn’t been worth remembering. 

At the very least, he was glad Legend’s had been, if that was what had saved him.

“I remembered everything, as if I was back on that island. All those people who cared for me and wanted me to be happy, how would they feel to know I was losing myself like this? What I was doing, pushing myself to breaking point, was for my own selfish benefit. So that I would feel better about myself. It was never about them or what they would have wanted. And if I died-”

Legend's voice broke, and his friend took a few unsteady breaths. They had both given up all pretense of following the group at this point, and the veteran was leaning his weight on him as if Hyrule was the only thing keeping him standing.

“-if I died who would remember them? Remember  _ her  _ ? If I were gone, it would be like they had never existed.”

Memories of people…? People who loved, and cared, and wished for your happiness?

_ (Fire-bright hair filled his vision as delicate hands hovered over his wounds. “We’re the same age, but you’ve been through so much. From now on, let me be the one to take care of you, Link.”) _

He didn’t have anything like that. 

He couldn’t afford to have anything like that.

Not him, not a Traveller, not the Cursed.

Not when he was doomed to a life of isolation anyway. 

He should never have gotten close enough to feel it in the first place. 

“I remembered all this at once, and I knew that I couldn’t let this monster erase their existence. So I fought, with the last of my strength, and somehow managed to escape. And then-”

“I’m glad.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but the surprise on the veteran’s face steeled his nerves and he pushed forward. “You’re worth more than just their memories. I can’t even imagine going on this adventure without you…”

Somehow, admitting it was worse. More real.

He struggled to find his next words as every instinct told him not to pry any further. But Legend had revealed this much, surely he would be okay with Hyrule asking a few small questions?

He had to know.

He really shouldn’t be this trusted.

“But I- I don’t understand.”  _ Anything.  _ He untangled his hands from Legend's grasp and turned away, unable to look at him while he shamelessly clawed at his secrets. “Why are you telling me all this? It seems like a big deal…”

Or maybe it wasn’t. In Legend’s world, maybe it was normal to bare your soul, talking about past failings and leaving yourself so vulnerable to attack and manipulation. 

Maybe this innate distrust was simply another problem with him. With his world. 

“Because I’m better now. I’m not perfect, and speaking of it like this is honestly more difficult than I expected, but I’m  _ better  _ .” Legend smiled weakly at some unseen memory. “But the only reason I was able to get this far was because I had people willing to help me through it.”

_ People to help me through it  _ .

Maybe Legend really was angry at him. Maybe this was all an attempt to rub in his face what he couldn’t have. 

Still, he was glad that Legend was from a time where he could afford to rely on others like that.

It was a nice fantasy. 

No-one would choose to stay by his side or help him without getting something in return. Or even if someone tried-

_ (“Link please, we want to help. It’s only been a few weeks since your quest, you can stay a little longer.”) _

-he couldn’t let it be more than a dream. 

Legend continued speaking, voice taking on a much gentler tone as his eyes crinkled in fondness.

He spoke of Ravio, and Zelda, and how they helped put him back together.

He spoke of himself  _ breaking _ , as if that was something the Hero of Legend could do. 

“What I’m trying to say is that I kept everything to myself and I- I broke. I’m only healing now because I have others to support me and remind me of what truly matters every time my thoughts go back to that dark place. Being alone, keeping everything inside, not letting anyone help...it’s horrible and isolating and I- I don’t want you to shatter like I did. You’re so important to me. I couldn’t bear it if I…” 

He was no longer listening. 

_ You’re so important to me. _

Everything he thought he had known about this conversation was thrown out with a single sentence. 

_ You’re so important to me.  _

The wind continued to howl around them both, but it was nothing compared to the whirlwind in his mind. 

_ You’re so important to me.  _

His trembling could almost be blamed on the cold, except he felt numb to the weather outside. A strange emotion filled his chest, painful and all encompassing and - and what?

_ You’re so important to me.  _

He recognised the beginning of a panic claw at the edge of his mind, forcing him to take a deep breath as his hands shook and his eyes burned. 

_ You’re so important to me. _

Stop it! 

He wanted to reach up and claw at his head, to forcefully remove the words from his heart and tear at these traitorous thoughts.

Thoughts that would destroy him, if he let them.

And a feeling, small and smothered, that he wanted to cling to with everything he had. That he needed to crush before it was too late. 

Hope. 

Legend looked at him and for the first time he was grateful for the storm. He was thankful for the freezing wind which disguised his trembling, the darkened sky which hid his paling features, the chill which gave him an excuse to hug himself tight.

He wasn’t normally like this. Why was it so different with this group? With Legend? Why did his walls and defenses keep crumbling like they were nothing?

_ You’re so important to me.  _

“I-” Hyrule bagan, but that foreign and terrifying feeling snatched his words away. He had felt the same when talking with Time a few nights ago.

He wanted someone to understand. He wanted  _ Legend  _ to understand. The veteran had bared his own soul so readily, surely he could return that trust.

But cold gripped his chest whenever he tried to speak.

The fastest way to get killed was to spill your weakness to another person. Even if they were a friend, the corruption of Ganon could come from anywhere, and desperate people did desperate things in the name of survival. 

No-one asked. And no-one told. That was a rule every lone Traveller followed with certainty. 

Even so, that wasn’t what caused him to freeze at the idea of sharing anything: that he was considering it at all was terrifying. 

This just proved he was already ruined. Somehow, these heroes had snuck their way into his heart and he was powerless to stop it. Their warmth, support and kindness that had once been so foreign was now something he didn’t want to live without

But he would have to, eventually. 

Once this adventure was over, he would go back to his own world. Things would go back to how they were before. Only now, he would have memories of warm campfires and gentle smiles to tear at his mind in his loneliness. Now he knew what he was missing. Now he knew what it meant to be loved. 

He was like a child, longing for what he saw without realising the consequences. A momentary satisfaction before the fallout.

But maybe, if he stopped himself before he fell deeper into his hole, it wouldn’t be as bad. 

_ You’re so important to me.  _

“I wish- I want to tell you. I do, you have no idea but I can’t, I- How do you do it?” How could they be so open about their feelings, their flaws, knowing that if they gave that part of themselves away they could never take it back. “I don’t understand. I’ve never…” 

The twisting anxiety in his stomach peaked. Too much. He was saying too much. 

Legend sucked in a quick breath beside him, or maybe it was just the wind in his ears, but heavy tension between them was almost unbearable. He shivered again. 

“Hyrule…” His name was spoken with such gentleness. “Have you ever had anyone you could speak to before? Anyone to rely on?”

Confusion clouded his thoughts for a second. He stared. What did that have to do with anything? Of course he hadn’t. He was a Traveller. 

Ah, but the others didn’t realise the implications of the name they gave him. 

Legend waited on his response with an intensity that didn’t fit such an obvious question. 

But he didn’t want to lie again. 

His silence seemed to be taken as confirmation. The veteran tensed in that familiar and horrible way he did when angry. Only this time, it was just the two of them alone in the rain.

They stood in heavy silence for a while. Thunder rang a chorus around them but Legend was too deep in thought to notice, a spark in his eyes telling of a revelation Hyrule didn’t want to know about.

He purposely looked away and scanned their surroundings for the others. Maybe he could find an excuse to lea-

A low whine sounded in front of them. He snapped his gaze forward, hand twitching for his sword before dropping in relief. A large shape was just visible through the downpour, black fur dripping and eyes shining through the gloom. 

“Wolfie!” Hyrule cried, grateful for the distraction. He ran up the wolf and scratched behind his ear, letting the repetitive motion calm his nerves. He frowned at the soaked state of the dog. “Did you come looking for us boy?” 

Wolfie looked his way with a huff and Hyrule couldn’t help but laugh as a wet nose was shoved in his face. This was familiar. He’d always liked animals; they never asked questions or expected anything in return. They never judged, and even now the blind adoration and concern in Wolfie’s eyes brought a sad smile to his face.

The wolf could only look at him like that because he had no idea what was going on. None of the others would look at him like that. Would they?

A splash rang out as Legend joined him. They were both kneeling in puddles, the chill seeping through his clothes as he determinedly kept his attention on the wolf’s fur.

“I didn’t tell you all this expecting anything in return.” His hand froze. Wolfie’s ears pricked up, but made no other sign that he was listening. “I think I see now why that might be impossible for you. But…” 

Legend shifted beside him, but he didn’t pay it any mind until strong arms wrapped around him and  _ he was trapped why would- _

Legend spoke again and oh. This was a hug. He’d been scared by _a_ _hug_.

This close, Legend must be able to hear his shaky breaths and thumping heart. 

“Just know that I’m here for you. We’re all here for you. If-when-you feel able to tell us more. None of us will judge you for anything, I promise.” 

_ You’re so important to me.  _

He had spent months terrified of how they would react when they discovered his lies. He had expected their anger. Their  _ pity _ . Images of every worst case scenario had played through his mind on sleepless nights when darkness conjured darker thoughts. 

This acceptance was so much worse. 

_ You’re so important to me.  _

How could he keep his distance with such sweet promises strung in front of him? Every inch of him begged to reach back, fall into those warm arms and give in for once in his life.

Stopping himself was more painful than any insults spat his way.

He wanted their friendship, but he couldn’t let himself have it. He was terrified of their hatred, their judgement and pity, and had spent the past few months trying to avoid it. Now he knew it would have been the easier outcome.

These warring thoughts tore at his mind until he wanted to scream and cry and curse Hylia for making him this way. 

But he was still a hero, if a terrible one. He would break before he burdened others. 

As if answering his thoughts, the pressure around him eased and Legend pulled back. He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, knowing that if he looked at Legend now he would come apart. 

“I-I’m sorry, but I need to be alone for a while. The others are just ahead, right?” He rushed to get up but his foot slipped in the muddy puddle. He barely even noticed in his scramble to get away. 

The warmth of his companions faded to a deep chill. Through the downpour he couldn’t even make out the silhouettes of their teammates up ahead. He was alone.

“Thank you.” He whispered, not knowing whether Legend could even hear him. He may not understand much, but Legend had been trying to help him, not knowing he was making things harder. But that was his own fault, not Legend’s. Never Legend’s. 

At least Legend had all but said he wouldn’t pry anymore, right? Maybe things could go back to how they were. Except this time he couldn’t make the same mistakes.

He was good at pretending.

Just a little longer. He can bear this a little longer. 

With that thought in mind, he clenched his fists and walked forward into the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised as I was posting this that I forgot to reply to a few comments last chapter. Each and every comment, no matter how small, makes my entire day and I honestly can't express how much they mean to me. Thank you so much! All of you are amazing and have given me so much motivation these past months <3


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